A New Life
by Nick-kun
Summary: Story 2 of 3. Prequel to Defection. Nick returns in a slightly depressing look of his past. Rated T for amounts of violence, emo, suicidal references, alcohol and sexual themes.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I'm insane, I'm writing (Starting, I never finish a chapter in one sitting) a story I SHOULDN'T be writing yet at 1:47 in the morning, still in my I'm-too-lazy-to-go-out clothes from the day before (Shorts and t-shirt) and wearing my glasses instead of contacts because I WANT to go to sleep but really don't feel like it because I drank too much milk tonight…**

**Milk is yummy though.**

**Anyways, this is the prequel to Defection, if you haven't read Defection yet you should, otherwise all the connections will seem lame and totally foreseen. WARNING! This is not for those who hate sad or seriously dark stories, as this is literally the 180 of Defection, little humor and much sadness TT**

**I need to take a bath…**

**My 15****th**** birthday is coming… very slowly… but it is coming… and with my birthday comes the thanksgiving party at my grandparent's and with that…**

**BOOZE! AND FOOD! AND TRAP SHOOTING WITH A MASSIVE HANGOVER! AND MAKING FUN OF EVERYONE AND BLAMING IT ON THE WINE! YAY HAVING A NOVEMBER BIRTHDAY!**

---

Nick counted the steps to his locker, moving his bushy red hair out from his eyes. It always happened at the 53rd step. He took the step and giggling rang out from behind him. For most people, the idea they were giggling at him/her could easily be shook off as paranoia. But after several moves from school to school, he knew the signs. The group was made of mostly girls, all junior. They were glancing at him or trying too hard not to; failing and looking out of the corners of their eyes. They each had binders with pictures of many different boys, most of them celebrities. They all chewed gum and made it painfully obvious. Their makeup was overdone to an incredible degree and it made them look like whores. Nick smirked. _'Probably what they were going for anyways.' _They were the kind of people that made fun of him. Nick twisted his lock and then ducked. A fist smashed into his locked and he turned around to see a small mob of seniors in front of him.

"Shit." Nick muttered. "You brought more this time." He raised his voice to the giant.

"You have quite a mouth for a freshman." The giant brown haired jock replied. He had a boisterous voice and large muscles that only enhanced his image among the out-crowd as being a jackass. "Maybe we should help humble you a little."

"Isn't 5 trips to the office enough for you?" Nick said quietly. He cracked his knuckles. The girls that were giggling before were now taking pictures with their cell phones and calling people, a constant phrase Nick heard was: "Firefly's gonna take on the football team this time!" Nick smiled at the nickname. Firefly, he hated it, but it made him feel a little special, as if he needed it being one of two kids with red hair. At least the other kid didn't have a shitload of freckles on him, Nick constantly found himself being mocked for his skin and over the years had learn to curb his anger to the insults.

But it still didn't help much when confronted by someone who annoyed the crap out of Nick. Which gained him a reputation as having the worst temper in the school. His current record was 6 trips to the office for getting in fights. 4 of which he won, 1 that was stopped by yard duties, and one that was after school that was stopped by a police officer. All of his opponents were bigger than him, and many times they had friends, but a black belt in Taekwondo and experience in street fighting gave in the advantage in all his fights.

The jock jabbed and Nick ducked to the right of it, he lifted his leg and rammed it into the man and he reeled back in pain. His friends dived for him but Nick dived forward and rolled away, leaving a pile of jocks in his wake. Nick looked around, a crowd was gathering, and a crowd meant less room to dodge, and more friends for both sides. He recognized several people that would help him, but he wouldn't drag his friends into this. Nick walked forward and pushed the reeling man back. He opened his locked and pulled out a binder. He slammed the locked and walked over the fallen jocks to the hallway.

"God bless." He said mockingly as he disappeared behind the corner. The jock regained his composure and ran after him. When he turned the corner, Nick had disappeared. The giant cursed and stomped away in disdain.

---

Nick walked up to the lunch table and sat down. His friends greeted him and went back to eating. Kira walked by and plopped by next to him.

"Hi Nicky!" She said cheerfully as she hugged him. Nick smiled back and wrapped his free arm around her waist.

"Hello Kira." Nick said as he removed the arm and looked over to Rob, who was playing his video games from across the table. "Uh… Rob?

"I'm not playing a game, I'm in the chat room. You're latest fight with Marcus already spread. This one was so fast that no one apparently got a good enough picture." Kira glared at Nick from the comment and Nick scooted away. Kira followed suit in the opposite direction. After a year of being together with Kira, who he had convinced everyone he 'loved' her, it became painfully obvious that Kira's playing-hard-to-get way of being in relationships was annoying him.

"Can't you just keep your fist to yourself?" Kira mumbled from a few feet away.

"Screw you." Nick said coldly. Everyone stared at Nick for a second, before resuming his or her previous actions. Kira huffed and looked to Rob. Who immediately shook his head.

"According to this, the jocks punched before Nick could say anything." Rob came to his fourteen year old friend's defense.

"Probably because he insulted them before." Kira mumbled to herself. Nick caught the sentence and got up from the table. He walked over to the other side where Rob was and sat down next to him. He glanced over to see a picture of him rolling away. It was blurry and looked fuzzy on the sides. But you could still see what was going on.

"Nice picture, better than the one of me ninja owning that one guy from the room." Nick smirked. His fights were usually the stuff of legends, while Nick was strong, and was told he punched hard, he never worked out so he remained only slightly tone. But he was smart when he fought; apathy for his opponents and for his own safety was his greatest assets.

"Honestly Nick, why do you do that to yourself? If you just stay quiet no one would bother you." Aislinn scooted over and looked at him from the other side of the table.

"Meh, I feel like telling those guys how stupid they are." Nick lied. In reality he was constantly mocked for things that he had no control over. The only thing that kept him sane was the fact that he was 5' 11" and half the school didn't want to bother someone bigger than them.

"You're such a bastard." Aislinn huffed. She looked over to Kira and started talking.

"They're talking about you." Rob said quietly.

"I know that…" Nick said coldly. "I don't know why she's my girlfriend."

"You're exact words were: She's a perfect angel." Rob quoted.

"Yeah, but to go on five dates and not even a kiss on the cheek?" Nick sighed. "She's playing a little _too_ hard to get." Nick's head sunk. "I don't think she likes me anymore."

"It's kind of obvious." Rob sighed. "You guys spent so much time trying to make the move hurt less, the postponement only made it worse." Nick moaned in frustration and pulled out a book from his binder. He opened it and pulled out a pencil. He drew a chibi picture of himself whacking Kira over the head with a hammer. Pointing an arrow to her that said: _'Worst girlfriend EVER!'_ Rob chuckled and commented on how well Nick drew it.

'_Oye… all my friends are clueless about me… so I can't really expect her to respect me anyways.'_ Nick looked to Kira and started reminiscing about times she would come over and they would play video games. _'But JESUS CHRIST! Even Aislinn was a better girlfriend! In fourth grade!'_

---

Nick walked into his room wearily. Dropping his backpack with a large THUD. He made his way slowly to the computer. Pressing a button on the white keyboard, a colorful screen popped up and revealed a chat window.

SNZRCAT999: Nick…

MADKID254: What's up Rob?

SNZRCAT999: Ya' know that dream I keep having?

MADKID254: The one with the talking rocks right?

SNZRCAT999: Yeah… Mid class, I felt myself floating, and this pink haired lady said something about being 'connected.'

MADKID254: Well, I still say it's your imagination, but if anything happens, text me by phone IMMEDIATELY. Ok?

SNZRCAT999: Roger.

SNZRCAT999 STARTED PLAYING WORLD OF WARCRAFT.

---

**Quick Authors Note: All of the things that look like they are out of place are exactly how they should be. I'M TRYING TO SHOW A THEME DAMN IT!**

**Speaking of Warcraft though mouse goes to The Frozen Throne icon NO! NO I WILL NOT! I WILL FINISH THE CHAPTER!**

**(Cue entrance of the angel and the devil on the shoulders.)**

**Angel: Good for you!**

**Devil: Oh play the game.**

**(Cue entrance of the Hobo that lives on my head.)**

**Hobo: FOR THE HORDE!**

**Angel: The Horde can suck 'ma balls!**

**Me: I thought you were supposed to be the angel.**

**Angel: I'm a good version of **_**you**_

**Me: Good point.**

**Hobo: Two plus two equals SALMON!**

**Devil: I hate my job…**

**---**

Nick rubbed his right hand. It started to cramp from the amount of notes he was taking. _'High School sucks.'_ He sighed.

He slid his left hand down and pulled his phone out carefully, he looked and a envelope was flashing on it. He opened it from under the desk.

NICK! ROOM 405! NOW! The screen read. Nick arched an eyebrow. He raised his hand. "Can I go to the bathroom?" The teacher sighed and pointed to the hall pass on his desk. Nick took the wooden panel and walked quickly out of the room. After the door was shut, he sprinted down the hallway. He turned a corner and saw a small crowd gathering around Room 405.

"Rob!" Nick yelled he moved through the crowd into the door. He saw Rob and Kira staring at a giant door. The door had a clown face on it with two crosses. Its chains had broken and dangled at the sides of the door. Behind the door, Nick saw a green field with trees and mountains littering the background. Nick walked in absent-mindedly.

"I'm not crazy." Rob muttered. Kira clung to Nick's arm and stared in disbelief.

"You see it too?" Kira asked. Nick grunted softly in response. A red-cloaked clown appeared and threw a die. It came face up as a two.

"The die says 2. Only two can go." Nick glared at the clown and the die shook. "I sense power from you…" The clown's smile grew.

"I'm going." Nick said. Rob looked at Kira for a second and backed down. "Where do you think your going?" Nick's gaze averted to the die. It shook a little more.

"Hidden power…" The clown mumbled. "I wonder… who did Diana really call for?" The clown waved his hand over the die and it turned to a three. "You may all come." Nick smiled wickedly and walked forward. Kira didn't move and he looked back to see her pleading look.

"Nick… our families…" She said quietly. Nick shook her arm off. He shot her a cold look and looked forward.

"This is my only shot to find the world I dream of." Nick walked a few steps. "I'm not passing it up because my family will be sad. If you want to stay…" He looked back. "You're the one who has to tell them why I did it." He smiled. "You can do that, right?"

"I don't want to leave everyone else though!" Kira yelled. Rob walked up to the door with Nick.

"C'mon, there was a way there, there will be a way back!" He yelled. Kira huffed and ran to meet them. The doors burst open with light and the three walked through the door. They found themselves falling to bright green fields at an amazingly slow rate. Nick smiled and started doing a backstroke in the air.

"I already like it here!" Nick flipped around and landed on his feet. He did another flip and flew over a hill. He landed on his feet and sprinted off. Kira and Rob both sighed at their friend and quickly chased after him.

---

**A/N: Meh, I give it a 6/10 for an opening chapter. I'll do better next time I promise! Anyways, my dad got a new job so I have to move. Originally I didn't like the idea, but then today he came home from the town he has to fly to for another few weeks before we move and he brought BONITO FLAKES! Why is this important? BECAUSE NOW WE CAN MAKE MISO SOUP AT MY HOUSE! YAY MISO SOUP!**

**FOOTBALL SEASON IS A COMIN'! GO RAIDERS! (They better do well this year or I'm shooting the coach for drafting poorly.)**

**Oh and MarHeavenAngel? WASABI RULES!!!!!!! (I think her happiness is contagious.)**


	2. Chapter 2

Nick panted heavily as he stumbled into a town square. Ahead of him, people were dancing to a small band playing flutes and other interesting instruments. He looked around to see two blondes were sitting on a bench. One of them was about Nick's age; she had long blond hair that went a few inches past her shoulder blades and a few freckles on her nose. She wore a black tank top that showed off what little cleavage she had. She also wore short brown pants that went a little past her knee. She was drinking a small cup and talking to the kid next to her. The little kid was about ten years old and in comparison to her sister had short, dirty-blonde hair that stopped at her shoulders. She wore long blue pants that came down to her feet and a purple shirt. Nick noticed that they were both wearing rings and that the older one wore a necklace. He looked around to see that almost everyone had one or more accessories, so he figured it was style. Nick reached into his pocket and pulled out a mood ring. He slid in onto his right pinky and rushed up to the girls. Only to be grabbed by the collar by his girlfriend.

"Where are _you_ going?" She spat out.

"Just going to get some information from those girls over there." Nick lied. _'I really wanted to dance with the older one.' _"You wanna dance?"

"Not really, this isn't that good of music." She frowned. She let go of Nick and mumbled something about a crappy band. When she looked back, Nick had run off to the girls.

"Um…hello." Nick said as he walked up. His mood ring turned a bright blue and the older girl stared at it.

"Nice ÄRM, how does it change color?" The girl asked. Nick gave her a confused look.

"You mean my mood ring? It has a liquid in it that reacts to body heat." The girl got up and grabbed Nick's hand. The ring turned brown and she gasped.

"That's awesome!" The girl said. She let go of his hand and looked up to his eyes, he was about 3 inches taller than her. "What's your name?"

"Nick." Nick smiled and put his hand in his pocket.

"My name's Samantha!" Samantha smiled back and pointed to the younger girl on the bench. "And that over there is Catherine-chan!"

'_-chan? They use Japanese suffixes here.'_ Nick caught on. "Nice to meet you Cat-chan!" He kneeled down and looked her in the eye. Catherine arched an eyebrow and looked away. Nick's vein bulged and he went to the other side of the bench to look at her. "You won't even say hi?" He said, holding back anger. Samantha tapped him on the shoulder and brought her lips to his ear.

"She's mute, she's been like that ever since our parents died." She explained. Nick nodded.

"I'm sorry Cat-chan. I didn't know!" Kira walked over with Rob next to her and looked angrily at Nick.

"You're hitting on TEN YEAR OLDS?!" Kira yelled. Nick blushed and got up.

"AM NOT!" Nick pointed to Samantha. "I WAS GOING TO ASK HER WHERE WE ARE!"

'_Damn it! Why does no one in this friggin town ever ask me to dance?' _Samantha pouted. "You're in Piko Town." She said. Nick raised his hand.

"I meant what world we're in. Apparently someone transported us from our world." Nick explained. Rob and Kira smacked their foreheads and then smacked Nick.

"Idiot! Now she thinks we're crazy!" Rob said.

"A Dimension ÄRM!" Samantha said. The three looked at her oddly. "Please tell me you know what an ÄRM is."

---

_**After a few drinks and much explaining**_

_**---**_

Nick nodded. "I get it now!" Samantha sighed.

"Finally!" She fell back on the bench. "Ok, since you're an idiot you owe me a drink…"

"Uh… other world remember? I got no cash…" Nick laughed. "You want a dance instead?" Samantha perked up and yelped in agreement.

"MY NICKY-KUN!" Kira hugged Nick protectively and glared at Samantha, who glared back at her.

"But no one ever asks me to dance!" Samantha complained. Kira didn't let up on the glare.

"Well, you could take Rob." Samantha looked behind Nick to see Rob searching his pockets.

"I LEFT MY NINTENDO DS IN THE CLASSROOM!" He yelled. Samantha arched an eyebrow and looked back.

"Uh… are you serious?" Nick laughed out loud and looked to Kira.

"I'm sorry Kira-hime, but I did say I would." Nick attempted to kiss her on the cheek but she moved it to the side. "Ok _fine…_" He said with an annoyed tone. "I'll dance with you after I dance with her ok?" Kira let go of him grudgingly and glared at Samantha again. Mouthing the words I'll-Kill-You to her. When Nick and Samantha got out of earshot, Samantha looked at Kira with a smirk and grabbed Nick's hand. Nick blushed a little and smiled politely.

"She's a little protective of you isn't she?" Kira was drilling a hole in the bench as she saw the two holding hands. Catherine stared at the current spectacle.

'_Older kids are weird.' _She thought to herself.

"Yeah, she's annoying sometimes, but she really is a princess in my eyes." Nick admitted. "So Sam-chan. It's just you and your sister right?" Nick grabbed Samantha's hips and she looked at him oddly. He looked around to see everyone else waltzing to the song.

"You don't know how to dance?" Samantha arched an eyebrow. _'I don't know why that girl likes him.'_ She sighed. **(A/N: Samantha doesn't like him, she just likes to piss people off.)**

"We uh…dance differently in my world." He sighed. Samantha followed suit and motioned to him. She brought her hand up and Nick interlaced his fingers with hers, she put his arm around her waist and she started turning in a circle. Nick turned with her and he quickly got the speed down.

"So, what's your world like?" She asked him with a slight smile.

"Crap…" He said harshly. Samantha giggled and looked at him carefully. She noted how his muscles were slight but noticeable, how his hair was barely past his shoulders and messy, and how his shirt had a skull with wings on it. Under the skull a royal flush was spread out with the words Born Lucky right above the number 13 that was on the skull. She also noticed how his pants were worn and light blue and barely went over the tongue of the black, flat-soled shoes.

"They have nice fashion sense." She noted. "But does everyone wear their hair like that?" She asked.

"Oh no, that's just me. I like it this way." Nick smiled. The song sped up and Samantha picked up the pace, Nick did the same. "If you're trying to mess me up, it won't work."

"I'm not." Samantha smiled. "Ya' know, you do look kind of cute with the long hair." She admitted.

"Ok, _now_ you're hitting on me." Samantha raised her eyebrow. "It's a way of saying you're flirting with me."

"Am not."

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

"Don't deny it!"

"Shut up Nick-teme!"

"Never!" He yelled triumphantly. Samantha dug her nails into his side and he gritted his teeth.

"You're annoying." Samantha said.

"I'm sorry." Nick said with a smile. "By the way. Kira's gonna smash your sister's head in if we keep dancing, since the songs been over for a few minutes now." Samantha blushed and let go of him. She ran over and snatched her sister away from Kira, who looked at her oddly.

"What?" She asked. Nick came over and picked Kira up bridal style. She yelled at him and he put her down with a mischievous grin. She smiled as Nick grabbed her by the hand and took her to the dance floor.

---

"Are you sure it's ok?" Nick asked. Samantha nodded as they walked through the woods.

"Yeah, you guys can stay with us, you can use our parent's room." She said. Nick raised his hand.

"I call the bed!" Nick and Rob said at the same time. They blushed and looked at each other.

"Guy on guy?" Samantha said with a giggle. "I don't know, I guess with you two it'd be fun to watch." Nick whacked her across the head and cursed.

"Shut up!" He yelled. He clutched Kira's hand and they walked on.

---

Nick finished his soup with a gulp. "Thank you!" He yelled. Catherine smiled and sat down at the table.

"You finished already? Wow." Samantha said as she came into the room. "Catherine's a great cook isn't she?"

"Yeah! Thank you Cat-chan!" Nick yelled loudly. Catherine blushed a little and looked down. Suddenly, a loud rustle was heard from outside. Samantha raised her hand and a trident appeared in her hand. She rushed outside and a loud yell was heard. Nick ran out to see several large men with swords charging Samantha. Nick rushed through the group and punched one of them in the chest. The man reeled back and ran into another man, sending them both to the ground. Nick spun around and kicked another person in the head. They flew back and Nick grabbed a sword in mid-air. Samantha stared wide-eyed as Nick turned the blade around and knocked out the last bandit with a stroke to the neck.

Nick turned around just in time to see another bandit rush towards him. It was a long blonde haired man with a sword in hand. He has much older than Nick and wore a band around his head. **(A/N: Since Nick came to MÄR about one year before the War Games, I'm going to assume that's when Nanashi was found.)**

"Oh come on!" Nick mocked the blonde. He jumped over his head and charged.

"My thoughts exactly." The man said as he pulled a similar move and got behind Nick. Nick spun around and dodged the impending stab. He moved to the left and leg sweeped him. The man caught himself with his hand and propelled himself into the air. "You're pretty good kid."

Nick shot up and sliced. The man blocked easily and spun to face him. "Same with you, what's your name?"

"Nanashi. What's yours?"

"Nick." Nick fell to the ground. He got in a fighters stance, but turned around to see Kira walking outside. Nanashi's face lit up and he rushed over to her.

"Why hello the-"

"BACK OFF!" Nick rushed off and kneed Nanashi in the face. He went flying back and rubbed his head.

"Ow I'm sorry, I didn't know she was taken." Nanashi apologized. "Anyways, you're a strong kid. Do you want to join the Bandit's Guild of Luberia?"

"HELL YEAH!" Nick yelled. Kira hit him on the head and he corrected himself. "No, sorry. But I need a drinking buddy!" Kira hit him again. "What? I can't have a drink?"

"You're underage!" She yelled.

"But Kira-channnnnnnn!" Nick whined. She growled at him and he sobbed quietly.

"Oh well! That's why I'm single!" Nanashi stuck his tongue out at Nick. Nick ran at him and Nanashi ran away quickly.

"Jeez, he makes friends quickly." Samantha commented as she walked up to the house. _'And he fights like an ÄRM master.'_

"Don't know how he keeps 'em. He can be mean sometimes." Kira made a 'tsk' sound and walked back inside. Immediately Nick and Nanashi ran to the woods.

"WOOHOO! PARTY AT THE TAVERN!" Nick yelled. Kira went outside and yelled and Nick once she realized where he was going. She then looked over to see bandits running after them with sacks. Samantha went inside to see that all the pot and pans were stolen from the kitchen. Rob and Catherine were staring with a dumb look at the ravaged room.

"What the hell's with him?" Samantha yelled as she ran to the forest.

---

"Ok, every time Nanashi gets a girl to hug him, we take a shot." Nick announced to the table. The bandits laughed and agreed. A few moments later, Nick walked up to Nanashi with a wobble in his step.

"Hey Nanashi-san. Can you cut down on the hugging? I think I'm getting drunk." Nick asked.

"What are you talking about? I haven't hugged anyone!" Nick smacked his forehead and sat down next to Nanashi.

"Sorry, I like the drinks here I think." Nick smiled goofily.

"You drink like a man who wants to forget his troubles." Nanashi commented.

"Ya' think so?" Nick asked. "Huh, maybe. Anyways, tell me about this guild of yours." Nanashi went into a deep explanation about his guild and Nick's eyes brightened.

"So basically I'm second in command." Nanashi said. "You want to join? I could get Boss to let you in."

"I'd love to!" Nick yelled. At that moment, Kira and Samantha burst into the room. The bandits raised their weapons but Nick calmed them down. "Wass up?"

"YOU'RE DRUNK!" Kira pointed a finger at him. "YOU PROMISED ME YOU WOULDN'T DO SOMETHING STUPID LIKE THAT!"

"I'm not doing anything stupid though!" Nick complained. The bandits backed him up and Kira twitched a little.

"I still don't want you drinking ok?" She said. Nick nodded and walked over to her. He grabbed her hand and looked over to the bandits.

"Sorry you guys, I gotta leave! Nanashi-san! Talk to me about the guild tomorrow ok? Ask your boss about it." Nanashi smiled and waved him goodbye.

'_He's drinking for some reason, he isn't just crazy about the drinks.'_ Nanashi frowned. Then he smiled goofily. _'Oh well! I got me a new pervert buddy!'_

---

**A/N: MarHeavenAngel gets full credit for giving me the idea of making Nanashi and Nick buddies! EHEHEHE! Pervert buddies!**

**Anyways, I have to put in a bunch of story arcs before I can stop the story. Because I need to go past Nick's birthday, then about half a year more, then he joins the chess pieces. So I figured, I'll give him a permanent alliance for the time being! Then with that I can branch out to anything I need to.**

**Don't worry, it will all tie in with the Cross Guard. I haven't forgotten everything I already wrote.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey I actually had breakfast today! A crispy waffle and bacon. Yum…**

**God I can do anything right in the morning TT Can't even cook a waffle right in a waffle iron. Maybe that's why my family only asks me to make dinner if I ever feel like it.**

**---**

Nick stood in front of the wooden fortress. It was big and had a flag that symbolized the Bandit's Guild of Luberia. Nick looked behind him to see Kira, Rob, Samantha, and Catherine eyeing him warily.

"You really want to do this?" Samantha asked.

"Hell yeah! It'll be like being a pirate!" Nick raised the sword ÄRM he stole off a thief yesterday. Robert's ears perked up and his face brightened.

"Pirate?"

"Yeah!" Robert jumped in the air and glomped the side of the fortress.

"YAY PIRATES!" Robert screamed.

'_Older kids are REALLY weird.'_ Catherine thought. She walked over to Rob and stared at him for a moment. Robert got off the wall and looked at her eyes. Catherine examined her height to his. She was three inches shorter than him. Getting the gesture, Robert started sulking in the corner.

"Cat-chan!" Nick yelled. "Don't make fun of Rob because he's short! That's my job!" Robert pretended to cry in the corner. Kira rushed over and gave him a hug. Samantha looked at him oddly.

"Are you gonna let him take that attention?"

"We've been friends forever, I don't really care what Kira does with him." Nick smiled. Samantha smacked him.

"Pervert!" She yelled.

"I DIDN'T MEAN LIKE THAT YOU ANNOYING BI-!" Nanashi stepped out and greeted Nick. Who changed his train of thought and started talking to Nanashi. "So how's it look?"

"Well Galian wasn't too thrilled, but he wants to test you first." Nanashi smiled widely. "Especially since I told him how strong you are for a fourteen year old." Nick leaned in and whispered something in Nanashi's ear. He nodded and his eyes grew wide. "Interesting… that would explain some things."

"Yeah, but don't let him know ok?" Nick said. Nanashi nodded and both of them walked into the fortress. The others tried to follow but Nanashi gave them a shake of the head. When Nick walked in, Nanashi closed the doors quickly.

Nick turned back and brought his sword ÄRM out. He looked forward to see a long black haired man with a similar headband in front of him. He had a familiar sword ÄRM out and stared at Nick. The tables were pushed to the side and several men were watching from the side. "You're Galian I assume?"

"You're sharp; and from what I hear, strong." Galian raised his sword. "But you have no magical power. I wonder, how well can you fight against me?"

"I've been told I have hidden strength." Nick ran with his sword to his side. Galian hopped in the air and Nick dived to the side. He picked up a table and threw it at Galian, who dodged it easily by spinning around. When he looked back, Nick was a few inches away from him.

'_Using the table as a decoy, not bad.'_ Galian admitted in his head. He blocked the attack and countered, Nick smiled and kicked the sword out of Galian's hands. It made a loud clink when it hit the ground and stuck out of the ground by its blade. Nick made a jab and it grazed Galian's shirt as the man turned to fall headfirst. Galian landed with his hands and back flipped to his sword. He dug it out of the ground and charged Nick. Nick ducked and punched the man in the stomach, then stood and used the momentum to throw Galian into the tables. Galian spat up some blood as he fell back into the pile of wooden chairs and tables. He got up quickly and put his hands together, blue lighting formed in his palms and he raised them up. "Electric Eye!"

'_Lightning? Ok, take this!'_ Nick threw his sword up and the lightning was intercepted on its way to strike Nick. Nick shot forward with his hand cocked back. When he was a few yards away, he brought his fist forward. He fell forward slightly and realized he was falling to the ground.

Galian sighed. Nick tripped on his pants.

---

"I'll submit to the fact that you are indeed strong, however stupid you may be." Nick sighed as he looked upon all the Thieves. "And as such, you are now a part of the Thieves guild of Luberia!" No cheering was heard, but silent compliments and the sound of beers clanking together rang through the fortress.

"Nice finishing move there, _stud_." Samantha said sarcastically. Nick glared at her and she laughed. "Just kidding."

"You did really well Nick-kun." Nanashi complimented him. Nick smiled and brought him closer, it was awkward seeing them, as Nick was 5'9" and only 3 inches shorter than Nanashi himself. **(A/N: I'm just guessing that Nanashi is 6 foot.)**

"Ok, I see, a seven, two eights and a nine." Nick pointed to several girls that were serving beers. "I'll give you the nine and the seven if you give the two eights."

"You strike a hard bargain there." Nanashi pondered the deal for a moment. "How about this? You get the nine… and the eight behind us." Nanashi moved his eyes to the side to point to Samantha. "And I get the eights, the seven, and the other seven behind the bar."

"That's a little unfair." Nick pouted.

"You're only fourteen, you don't need the extra attention." Nick sighed but agreed. He turned around to get a glare from Samantha and Kira.

"Uh…hi?" Kira cracked her knuckles and walked towards Nick. Nick backed up a little and made a cross sign on his heart.

"Nick…" She seethed. Nick submitted and simply stood there with his head down and his hands in his pockets. Kira smiled and put her arm over his shoulders. "Were you arguing over what girls to fawn over?"

"I ended up taking you, Sam-chan, and that hottie with the cocktails." Nick grinned. Kira took her arm off and walked away. "I was kidding!" Nick yelled as he ran over to her. Kira picked up the pace and Nick started sprinting. Kira tried to get away and Nick already lifted her bridal style and threw her up into the air.

"AIIIIE!" She yelled. Nick shot up and caught her with a mischievous grin. "I hate it when you pick me up!"

"Too bad." Nick stuck his tongue out and kissed her on the side of the head. He put her down and turned around to see all the thieves staring at him. "Eh? What?"

"Give her a kiss!" Somebody in the crowd yelled. Nick and Kira blushed and the crowd started cheering them on. Nick laughed and closed in on Kira's face, Kira yelped and smacked him. He fell to the ground with a thud and the crowd booed Kira as she walked away. "You suck!" Somebody yelled.

"Ow…tough break kid." Nanashi said.

Nick got up and laughed. "Sucks for me even more, she's my girlfriend." Nanashi smacked him upside the head.

"YOU ARE BANNED FROM BEING MY PERVERT BUDDY UNTIL YOU BREAK UP WITH HER!" Nick's jaw dropped and Catherine simply stared at Nick from a table.

'_Girlfriend? With someone who won't even let you kiss them?'_ Catherine's head started to spin. _'I made up my mind, I'm never growing up.'_ She folded her arms and raised her hand; a girl in a dress came by with a cup of juice and gave it to her. She smiled and walked away as Catherine took a straw and started to suck the juice out of it. _'Never ever.'_

---

Nick sat on top of the fortress, the sun was setting and Nick looked up to the sky, waiting for the first star to come out.

"You like sun sets?" Samantha asked as she came up.

"No, I like stars, I'm waiting for the sun to set." Nick said without turning his head.

"You thinking about Kira-chan?" She asked.

"Trying not to." Nick frowned. Samantha tilted her head in confusion.

"Why?"

"Arg, it's confusing, I know she doesn't like me that much." Nick turned to her. "She only wants to be with me because I was moving away in my old world. But it got pushed back and I still had to be her boyfriend. When I already pushed her out of my mind and was getting over her."

"Why would you want her to be out of your mind?" Samantha asked.

"Because I know she wants someone else." Nick looked back up, the first star came out and he grinned. "And she's still my friend, and what friend lets her stay with a no-good-boyfriend?"

"Don't kid yourself, you love her." Samantha teased. Nick nodded his head.

"But what am I gonna do? Make her fall in love with me? I'm not that kind of guy." Nick sighed. "I want someone who doesn't want me to change."

"That's kind of hard to pull off." Samantha told him. He shook his head.

"But I want to find someone I don't want to change, so it's a trade-off." Nick smiled. "I like to be with someone who treats me equally."

"Equality in a relationship?" Samantha giggled. "I've never actually seen that work."

"Meh." Nick said. "As much as I hate to admit it… I don't think I'll ever find someone like that." He turned to her and grinned wider. "Besides, who would fall in love with _me?_"

---

Nanashi counted the seconds. A loud SMACK was heard a few seconds later and he marked the time in his head. Kira stormed out and Nick slowly after.

"6 seconds, quickest…break up…ever." He grinned. Nick grinned back as he rubbed his cheek.

"I think I was tad too forward." Nick laughed. "Oh well, give her a few days and she'll still be my friend. Now then…" Nanashi and Nick smiled widely.

"TO THE BAR!" They both yelled as they ran out of the sleeping quarters.

---

"You see that Imoto-san?" **(Younger Sister, I finally looked it up xD) **"That's called being a dumbass. If you ever act like that, I will personally knock your head off your shoulders." Samantha pointed to Nanashi and Nick wobbling into the sleeping area with several girls surrounding him. Nanashi had three older girls while Nick had two younger ones that probably mistook him for a sixteen year old.

Catherine sighed and walked to the door of her and Samantha's room with her juice in hand. Nick called out for Rob and the shorter boy walked out of his room. Instantly the girl on Nick's right glomped him and started rolling around with him.

"What the crap?" He yelled. Nick and Nanashi laughed heartily.

"She's for you! Do whatever she'll let you do!" Nanashi yelled as he walked into his room with the girls. They giggled and closed the door softly. Nick walked to the room and the girl went with him. Samantha's jaw dropped to the floor.

'_Not that kind of guy my ass.'_ She thought with a sneer. She walked into her room and Catherine followed her.

'_Nick-san is weird.'_ Catherine thought quietly as she sipped her juice.

---

Kira knocked on the door of Nick room. "Nick?" She asked timidly. No answer. She knocked a little louder. "Nick-kun?" Still no answer.

"Nicky?" She opened the door. Nick sat up slowly. He had a throbbing headache but knew that a good breakfast and he'd be as good as new. Kira gasped and angrily stomped out of the room. "YOU ASSHOLE!" She yelled back. Nick tilted his head confusingly.

"Mmm… Nick-dono." Nick looked down to see a well-endowed brunette with her arm over him. He sighed at the realization that they were both fully clothed. "You are a great kisser." The girl mumbled as she sleepily looked up to him.

'_Hmmph, figures I'd lose my first kiss when I'm drunk.'_ Nick sighed. He cracked a smile and slung an arm around the girl's shoulders. _'Just be a gentleman and leave it alone.'_ He got up and took a towel from the cabinet next to his bed. "I'm gonna get some breakfast and take a shower." Nick walked away. Then a light bulb went off in his head. "You wanna come take that shower with me?"

"PERVERT!" Samantha yelled between laughs. Pointing at the red head as he glared at her. "I knew it! Your just that kind of guy!" The girl, fully embarrassed, ran out of the room at full speed. Nick sighed and looked over to the confused Catherine, who sipped her ever-present juice cup.

"Do you really think I wanted to go out with her?" Nick asked coldly. "I'm a pervert… that's a given, but to get me to give my self up. Someone will need to try much harder." Nick patted Catherine on the head. "Good morning Cat-chan. You sleep well?"

"Eh." Catherine mumbled as she nodded her head. Nick smiled back and walked out of the room.

"I'm thinking we go hit a cave near here, there is supposed to be treasure in it." Nick smirked as he walked away with his towel slinged over his shoulder. "There are also supposed to be ghosts. You in?"

---

**A/N: I still haven't forgotten that Nick loves Kira, I still know what I'm doing… kinda sorta…**

**OMAKE:**

**Real Nick: Ok everybody! Let's try Scene 3 one more time!**

**Fiction Nick: Eff You!**

**Real Nick: No ya' know what? 'Eff you! (Get's up)**

**Fiction Nick: You wanna fight with me? (Get's up with a sword in hand)**

**Catherine: Woah woah woah! Let's think about this for a second!**

**Samantha: Cat, screw thinking! I wanna sell tickets to this thing!**

**Kira: Is the real Nick as good a fighter as the fiction Nick?**

**Rob: The world will never know!**

**Kira: What are you talking about? The Omake isn't over y-**

**THE END!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Damn, I have to read my last story to keep up with some things in this story, ends up I totally screwed myself over. In Chapter 3 I said that Nick's mask broke in half when he found out his friends were ÄRM, but he wears the mask the rest of the story. I found a way to get past that little plothole by making it an ÄRM but it'll be forever until I get to that chapter.**

**But seriously it's a cursed ÄRM…**

**---**

"Oh when you walk a-way, you don't hear me s-ay! Pleasssee oh babbby!" Nick sung as he used the hand made soap bar. He sung off key and with a quiet voice that made him sound awkward. "Doon't go!" **(A/N: Simple and Clean from Kingdom Hearts hehe)**

"Shut the hell up!" A soap bar flew over the divider and hit Nick in the head. He fell to the floor and got up quickly.

"Go to hell!" He yelled. The man on the other side of the divider cursed at him some more and the argument exploded into Nick diving over the divider. When he got up from his dive and blushed and went back over. "Damn it Nick, you suck at singing."

"I get it from my mom Nanashi-san." Nick sighed and wrapped the towel around his waist. He walked outside and instantly girls started moaning in disappointment. "What?" Nick looked down to see his flat stomach. "Were you expecting me to be fat or something?" Samantha over in the corner was laughing hysterically. "What are you doing here anyways?"

Samantha pointed to her wet hair. "I took a shower dummy." Nick's head drooped and he cursed about his own stupidity. He walked over to the pile of neatly hung shirt and pants and took his clothes down.

"You might wanna leave." Nick suggested.

"I'm fine." Samantha leaned back and gave him a suggestive wink. Nick sighed and leaned back.

"So what were the girls disappointed about?"

"Some of them wanted to see if you had a six pack." She closed her eyes and looked upwards to the wood ceiling.

"And the rest?"

"Something to do with big and visible." Nick chuckled and put on his blue boxers from under the towel. When he was done he took the towel down and put on the rest of his clothes. "Just kidding, they just wanted to see you without a shirt on."

"They could have asked." Nick sighed. Samantha chuckled and got up.

"You're a real hit with the ladies aren't you?" Samantha shook her head. "Even if you're not the cutest guy."

"I'm strong here." Nick flexed his muscles. "Er… stronger… I was kind of strong already. I guess they just like me 'cause I fought equally with Galian-dono and I'm perv buddies with Nanashi-san."

"Don't be so modest!" Samantha grinned. "I bet you were a hit back home with how strong you are."

"I wish. Girls are pretty fickle in my world." **(A/N: So…true TT)** Nick walked away and saw Samantha staring at him with an arched eyebrow. "Hey, you coming or are you going to watch other guys change as well? We got a cave to raid."

---

Nick tapped his foot outside Samantha's room. "Are you done yet?"

"Shut up! I'm not going out without having some decent clothes!" She yelled back.

"Oh for the love of… Does it matter? We might get in a fight and you want to go out in a dress?"

"EWW! I'm not wearing a dress! I just want to put on the right clothes; it's 80 degrees outside! How are you not warm in those clothes?" Nick sighed.

'_I didn't even notice, I've lived in too many warm places.'_ Nick chuckled and walked over to Rob's door. Knocking on it, he called for him. Instantly, he rammed the door down and punched Nick in the stomach.

"What's the big idea sending me a hooker last night?" He yelled. Nick laughed.

"She's not a hooker, she was drunk and she likes cute boys." Nick got up and stretched a little. "Damn I wish I brought Zach with us, I miss having a decent fight." Nick pouted.

"You can always fight with me _Nicky-kun_." Came a sarcastic voice from behind Nick. Nick turned around to see Samantha in shorts that came down mid thigh and having a pink bra on.

"Is that really appropriate to wear when Cat-chan's coming with us?" Robert ran back in his room while holding his nose. Samantha arched an eyebrow and looked to a confused Catherine. She looked at Nick through the tuft of blonde hair covering her left eye.

"You want to take my little sister on a raid?" She asked.

"You guys have ÄRM's don't you?" Catherine made an uneasy sound and Samantha shooed her back into the room. When the door was shut, she smacked Nick across the face and got within an inch of his.

"What the hells the matter with you?" Nick sighed and pushed Samantha's face farther away.

"I don't know. I would feel uneasy though if we left and Kira was just sulking and Catherine was in the care of all these thieves. Wouldn't you feel better if someone she _knew_ was protecting her?"

"Smart ass."

"Stupid ass." Nick retorted.

Samantha closed in on Nick's face until she was a few centimeters from his. "You're actually pretty smart aren't you?"

"Smart enough to know when you're trying to freak me out." Nick stood still and folded his arms. Samantha pouted and stormed back into her room. "Does she really have to wear a bra when she barely has anything to support?" Nick wondered out loud. _'Thank god she didn't have anything to support or that might have gone differently.'_ Nick chuckled.

---

Nick walked through the town with Rob, Catherine, Nanashi, and the fully clothed Samantha (She put on a short sleeved green shirt.) They walked up the lane until a large cave with a blocked off entrance came into vision. Nick nodded over to Nanashi and they both took out their swords. They ran forward with their swords cocked back.

"YARRRR!" Nick yelled as he jumped up and stuck the entrance with his sword, Nanashi shortly after. A loud rumble was heard and the entrance cracked a little. The duo tumbled to the ground and landed on their backs. Swords still embedded in the cave.

"…" Nanashi sighed.

"THAT SUCKED! YOU STUPID CAVE WHY WON'T YOU OPEN DAMN IT?" Nick kicked the cave and he made a crack. Nanashi arched an eyebrow as he watched Nick hold his foot tenderly.

"Hey Nick, I have an idea." He said. He got in a square position with the cave and jabbed it. He made a large crack and the swords fell down from the cave. Cutting some of Nanashi's hair and fully going into Nick's foot.

"MOTHER FU-!" Nick yelled as he ripped the sword out and the shoe quickly after. It was a deep gash but it didn't make contact with any tendons or bones. Nick sighed and used his sword to rip a bit of the sleeves of his shirt to make bandages for it.

"That's a deep wound, are you sure a quick bandage job is good enough?" Nanashi arched an eyebrow.

"It's fine." Nick hopped on the injured foot a little, ignoring the pain and finally put his shoe back on. "I see your idea though."

"Hey Nick-baka, nice armpit hair." Samantha mocked him as she walked up. Nick blushed a little noticing how short the sleeves were now. After a little while he decided to forget it and he took the shirt off. Samantha sighed and covered Catherine's eyes and Nanashi and Rob did the same and squarely faced the cave. Nanashi and Nick had similar body structure with the exception that Nanashi's abs were a little more distinct and visible. **(There's your written fanservice you rabid fangirls.) **Samantha laughed at the sight of Rob, who had more of a flabby body but still thin. Rob flipped her off with a smile and went back to facing the rock.

"ONE!" Nanashi yelled. The three boys punched the cave hard and a giant crack appeared. "TWO!" The crack grew as the boys punched harder. Samantha's eyes grew as she let go of Catherine's eyes. The little girl backed up and noticed the magical power coming from Nanashi, it was huge and flared up past the cave. She looked over to Rob and Nick and there were only faint traces of magical power. But from Nick the magical power glowed with a mix between red and gold. "THREE!" The boys chipped away at the cave.

"You see it too?" Samantha asked as she pointed to Nick. Catherine nodded. "Something's wrong with his magical power." Samantha looked to Nick's mood ring, it shone a dark brown and Nick pounded his fist against the rock. "It's like the two sides of his power are eating away at each other."

"SIX!" Nanashi finally counted the boys pounded their fists into the cave and the entrance burst into dust. The boys gave each other high fives and put on their shirts (With the exception of Nick who didn't give a flying fig.) and all five of them walked into the cave. Inside it was what everyone expected, a bunch of rock with stalagmites all around them. Nick gave a bored look and walked up to one of the little rock formations.

"I challenge thee demon!" Nick yelled as he kicked the bottom of the spear like rock and caught it with his hand. He turned around and pointed the spear at Nanashi, who kicked up his own spear and charged.

"Stop screwing around!" Samantha jumped up and kicked both of the boys in the head. Nanashi fell on his butt while Nick caught Sam's foot out of instinct. He let go just in time so Samantha wouldn't fall awkwardly and threw the stalagmite away.

"Fine gawsh." Nick stuck his tongue out at Sam and walked down a path. Samantha's vein bulged and she started yelling at Nick to stay with the group. "You have to find me first!"

---

Nick skidded behind a big rock and sat down. Giggling softly he peeked around the corner to see if Samantha was following him. She wasn't and he laughed out loud.

"What's so funny?" Nick turned around to see a boy a few years older than him with bushy white hair and purple eyes. Nick yelled loudly and fell back, taking out half of the rock.

"WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA OF SCARING ME? YOU TRYING TO GIVE ME A HEART ATTACK OR SOMETHING?!" Nick yelled at the kid while kicking him in the back.

'_I was actually thinking of tearing you in half…'_ The boy frowned and turned around to the red head. "I apologize, my name is Tom. And who might you be?"

---

'_Onii-chan's gonna flip out in 3…2…1'_ Catherine sipped her juice as Samantha suddenly burst out in a fit of cursing and hitting all the rocks near her.

"GOD DAMN IT I AM NOT IN THE MOOD FOR THIS!" She yelled suddenly. Nanashi stared at Samantha and then moved over to Rob.

"Is it me or is she a little temperamental all of a sudden?" He asked. Rob nodded slowly.

"Perhaps it's that time of the month." Rob started. He opened his mouth again when he felt an incredible amount of magical power seething towards him. He turned around to see Samantha staring right at him. Catherine shrugged and side stepped her sister before she charged at Rob with her trident ÄRM.

'_At least Nick-san's not here.'_ Catherine sighed when she suddenly shuddered at an even larger magical energy. She kneeled over and suddenly threw up over the ground. Rob felt sick and Nanashi and Samantha were fine. But they all noticed the power and started running towards it. _'Although now I wish he was!'_

---

Tom looked at the ring on Nick's finger. "Interesting ÄRM."

"It's not an ÄRM, the only ÄRM I have is this one." Nick pulled the ring out of his pocket and it turned into a broad sword.

"That's not very effective." Tom frowned. Nick shook his head.

"I'm a pretty good fighter so I don't need it very often, it's nice to have it though."

"Really?" Tom's body started to sway back and forth as air circled around him. "How good of a fighter are you?"

---

**A/N: It's time I actually do something this summer… I've had too many lazy days…**

**I could take a shower **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Tom/Phantom vs. Nick, yeah someone's gonna get hurt.**

**---**

Nick arched an eyebrow. He could see red magical power seething from 'Tom's' body. He smirked and looked over to his sword ÄRM, which was cracking under the pressure.

"All that power and you say your name is _Tom_?" Nick mocked. Phantom gave him a disdainful frown. Pulling out a kendama with a sneer on its face, he pointed the hammer's tip at Nick.

"How old are you Nick-kun?" Phantom asked slowly. Nick caught that his right hand loosened on the kendama's grip, meaning he wasn't expecting a fight right away. He was off guard.

'_Too bad I'm an honorable fighter.'_ Nick sighed. "Fifteen in a few weeks. Why do you ask?"

"To have such a magical power at a young age. Just to have that kind of power period. It's astounding." Phantom gazed at the golden and red waves conflicting with each other. "I can't help but wonder, what makes you so conflicted?"

"You must be on drugs, I barely have any magical power." Nick frowned. Phantom shook his head.

"Hidden power… It appears she was right." Phantom tightened his grip and Nick shot backwards. Babbo disappeared and spikes shot out of the ground. Nick flipped and grabbed on to one of the spikes; spinning around and kicking off of it to fly towards Phantom.

---

"What the hell? Nick's magical power keeps going up and down!" Samantha noted as the four ran down the cavern. Nanashi looked over to Rob who caught an ÄRM he threw at him. Rob put it on and called out a sword from it. Samantha held her trident ÄRM close by as she jumped over Rob and sprinted past all of them.

'_Nick-san, I hope you're all right.'_ Catherine thought as she struggled to keep up with the others.

---

"Missed me!" Nick ducked a spike that shot out of the wall. "Oh! You almost got me that time!" Nick jumped up and pinched the tip of a spike that came from the ground, he literally held himself up in a handstand fashion and stuck his tongue out at Phantom.

"Incredible." Phantom smiled wickedly.

'_Maybe I have more magical power than I think, I can see his moves coming and I could never dodge stuff like this before.'_ Nick flipped himself off to see that Phantom disappeared. "Eh? Tom-chan? Tooooooom-chan?" Nick sighed and attempted to walk away. He sighed when he realized that his body felt heavy. "Damn it." He realized that his surroundings were turning black and that red beams of energy lined the newly pitch blacked walls. "This is gonna suck isn't it?"

"Yes… yes it will." Phantom's voice echoed in the cave. Suddenly, one of the red energy beams shot at Nick. Nick arched his body and dodged it barely. "You're pretty flexible."

"Don't get any ideas pervert." Nick grinned. More energy beams shot at him, Nick dropped to the floor and all of them missed. Even more beams shot out at him, he rolled and escaped barely, turning around to see another energy beam shooting at him. Nick jumped up but the beam scratched his arm, blood spilled out from the cut at an astounding rate. Nick gaped at the cut. "Holy crap, just from that cut?"

"Yes, amazing isn't it? Even if it doesn't connect, if it gets close enough it'll cut you deep enough to make you bleed pints of blood." Phantom grinned sadistically. Nick brushed off his bare arm and focused his energy into his body.

'_I don't know crap about magical energy.'_ He felt power surge all over his body. _'But I always have been a quick learner.'_ His body felt light as he dodged several beams and spun around to get away from a few others. Phantom smiled from ear to ear at the display.

"Diana will be overjoyed." He said quietly. He noticed magical energy coming towards him and he turned the ÄRM off. Nick landed on his feet and spotted Phantom, floating up above a stalagmite.

"HOW THE HELL ARE YOU DOING THAT?" Nick yelled. Phantom gave Nick an exasperated look and pointed Babbo at him.

"Zombie Tattoo!" A beam of energy shot out at Nick. Nick froze for a second, but simply sidestepped the beam and gave Phantom a weird look.

"You can't hit me that easily, who do you think I am? A five year old?" He crossed his arms. Phantom's eyes widened, Nick's magical power skyrocketed, while still about Bishop level, it was impressive for so much improvement.

"How did you get so much power?" Phantom asked with a hint of drool. Nick backed off and crossed his fingers in a cross symbol.

"I just concentrated ok?" Nick looked over to see Samantha charge in.

"Nick-san!" She yelled. Phantom turned around and punched Samantha in the face. Sending her flying into the cave wall. She rebounded off the wall and fell limp to the floor. Nick stared for a moment in disbelief. His mood ring shifted into a dark red color. He looked up to Phantom to show that his dark brown eyes had turned a hellish black. He grinned wickedly and walked forward.

"You just signed your death wish." Nick said quietly, he then disappeared from sight. Phantom caught the movement and blocked an incoming kick from the red head. Nick snapped his foot back and landed. He leg sweeped and Phantom easily jumped his foot. Nick then jumped up and punched Phantom square in the jaw. Phantom shot up and hit his head against the roof of the cave. He dropped to the ground but never hit it, Nick ran up the wall and jumped off, he grabbed Phantom by the foot and threw him into the opposite wall.

'_Truly amazing.'_ Phantom smiled as he sailed threw the air. _'No human from his world could have such a power, I wonder, where did he really come from?'_ Phantom disappeared from Nick's vision and hit him over the head with Babbo. Nick fainted and fell to the ground. "You have incredible power, I'll have to cultivate that power." Nanashi and the others ran around the corner just in time to see Phantom disappear with Nick in his arms.

"Damn it!" Nanashi cursed. "Who was that weirdo?"

---

A pink haired figure walked up to Nick's unconscious body. She traced her finger up his body and came up to his chin.

"Interesting kid you picked up." Diana said curtly. Phantom frowned a pointed out the mood ring.

"Remind you of anyone?" He said. Diana arched an eyebrow.

"No. But I think I know where you're going with this." Diana activated an ÄRM and placed it on Nick's head. She smirked and then took her hand off. "Very interesting indeed. If that is the case we should never bring this up. We wouldn't want the entire cosmos on our tail."

"So I wasn't imagining it?" Phantom asked. Diana shook her head.

"That magical power is not the result of any conflict." Diana smirked. "But the result of the first creation of the Gatekeeper Clown."

---

"We have to save him!" Kira jumped up from her bed and struggled through the arms of a battered Samantha and an angry Nanashi.

"No! We don't know where he is and if we just travel aimlessly we could get in bigger trouble than just getting lost." Nanashi pushed her back on the bed. She stared up at him with a hurt face and tears started to form in her eyes.

"But…but…but… what if he's being tortured or something?" Kira forced back her tears and looked to Samantha, who only looked away.

'_How did Nick-san get taken away?'_ Catherine tried to wrap her head around all that was going on. _'Wait… I remembered that guy… I remember…'_

"Kira I'm sorr-." Samantha started. Catherine shot up and dropped her juice.

"He was the one who made mom and dad go away!" Catherine yelled. Samantha turned around with a shocked expression, along with the others in the room. Samantha's mind flashed through images of the event. It all crashed into her brain and she kneeled over to take a breath.

"We…have…to…save…Nick-ku-" Samantha heaved through heavy breaths. Finally her vision tunneled from the memories. She took one final breath before her knees buckled, she fell to the floor as her brain stopped to process one final thought.

'_Phantom... He'll try to curse Nick-kun.'_

---

Diana opened the cell door slowly. She nodded over to Phantom who turned around and walked down the dark corridor. Diana took off her mask and shoved it in her pocket. She looked over her attire, she was wearing brown rags that were torn many times. She frowned but tried her best to act 'humble' as most poor people do (According to what she's heard.)

"Darkness ÄRM: Endless Sleep." Diana walked up to Nick and put her left hand on his chest. She closed her face in on his and hovered a few inches above his lips. "Release." She pressed her lips gingerly into Nick's and quickly pulled them back. **(A/N: Snow White reference, trying to keep the 'fairy tale' setting of MÄR) **Nick's eyes fluttered and opened slowly.

"What…happened?" Nick opened his eyes fully. He looked up to see a pretty woman with quite a few years on him looking down at him with a happy smile. She had long pink hair that went down her rag clothed back. "Who… are you?"

"Diana." She stuck her hand out. "C'mon, we have to get out of here before the guards find either of us."

'_Is it a trap?'_ Nick gave her a smile a got off the table. _'That Tom dude said something about my power, this could be a test.'_ "Why are you concerned with me?" Nick asked. "I can escape a dingy cell like this."

"Well…" Diana blushed a little. She gazed up at Nick, who was just a little taller than her. "To tell you the truth, I didn't think I could escape without someone to protect me. I… haven't eaten in a long time so I'm a little weak." She looked away sadly.

Nick's eyes glanced at the two ÄRM's on Diana's hand. "Ok then…" Nick tried to hide the disbelief in his voice. "Let's go then." Nick started to walk out of the cell.

'_Good thing I told Phantom to leave out the details, it'll make my acting more believable.' _Diana walked up quickly to him. "Wait… what's your name?"

Nick paused, hiding his thought process through checking the hallways. He looked to her after a bit and motioned to her to follow down the opposite hallway Phantom went down.

"My name is Jonathan… now c'mon, I don't here any guards this way."

---

Samantha woke up to find Catherine sitting next to her. She got up and put a hand on her head.

"Damn… how long was I out?" Catherine looked at her for a second and shook her cup. It sounded empty and Samantha rolled her eyes. "Long enough for you to finish your juice I guess." Then Samantha's eyes lit up. "Wait! You talked! When the hell did you start talking again? Do it again!"

"Mhhmph…" Catherine mumbled as she tried to push more words out. _'GOD DAMN IT WHY CAN'T I TALK AGAIN?!'_

"Don't hurt yourself." Samantha sighed. "C'mon, let's go talk to Nanashi-san about rescuing Nick." Samantha's body tensed up about the subject. She tried to remain calm, which took most of her energy. _'Every second he's with Phantom… he probably has a better chance of being dead.'_

---

Nick kicked a guard in the head. He landed and then rammed his body into another guard. He yelped and fell back into the rest of his platoon.

"Hurry!" Nick yelled. Diana took a step but 'tripped'. Nick groaned and picked Diana up. He carried her on his back as he ran down the corridor as fast as he could. "You're becoming a liability." Nick moaned.

"Sorry, Jonathan-kun." Diana said sadly. _'A fake name… well played Nick-kun… you already suspect me of foul play. One more step to figuring you out, and when I do.' _Diana smiled wickedly as Nick ran past a dozen soldiers. _'Your power will be mine.'_

---

**A/N: A lot of scene switching this chapter. I really don't like to do that but it was kind of neccacary.**

**By the way, I don't think I mentioned this when I was doing Defection, I drew a picture of Winny (In Defection, not in A New Life or Final Destination.) Check it out at: ****http://www.deviantart (DOT****) com/deviation/57991585/**

**BTW I know it's horrible.**


	6. Chapter 6 AKA UBER LONG CHAPPIE

Nick panted heavily as he ran up the stairs, even with all his new strength, hauling Diana's ass on his back up 10 flights of stairs wasn't exactly an easy workout for him.

"Please god tell me we're almost at the roof." Nick groaned as he kicked the door open. He sighed pure relief when he realized yes, he was on the roof.

"You're not gonna… jump are you?" Diana asked carefully. Nick smiled wickedly. "Jonathan-sannnnnn." She stared wide-eyed.

"Nick-kun… it's not nice to put a woman in danger." Phantom materialized in front of Nick. Nick cursed and turned around to see another bunch of guards after him.

"Nick-kun?" Diana tried to sound surprised. Nick nodded.

"I personally think this is a test set up by Bastard-san over there." Nick looked behind him and gave Diana a cold look. "I'm only doing this because my conscious won't let me leave someone behind."

"Nick-kun… I want to give you a present." Phantom's eyes grew wide and a creepy smile spread over his face. Nick put Diana down and got in a fighting stance. He realized his sword ÄRM was gone and cursed himself. He looked up to see Phantom a few feet away form him. "Zombie Tattoo!" Phantom stuck the kendama up to Nick's chest. A blast of energy implanted itself into Nick and he shot back into a wall.

"Nick-kun!" Diana yelled. She ran over to him quickly, but Phantom grabbed her by the neck lightly and picked her up.

"Nick-kun? Do you have the energy to stay awake?" Phantom smiled. "The Zombie Tattoo only truly infects you when you sleep. If you can rescue Diana before the pain knocks you out… I may just let you both live."

"Tom-teme." Nick dragged himself to his feet as his shirt was ripped to show a tattoo on his chest.

"My real name is Phantom."

"I don't give a damn." Nick looked at Phantom blankly. Phantom frowned when he realized that Nick's eyes were normal.

"Why won't your eyes turn black? Are you not able to access that strength?" Phantom frown deepened.

"That is not a power, that is what happens when people piss me off enough." Nick pushed his red hair out of his eyes and looked at him calmly. "But you should know something about me before I save Diana-chan."

"Oh?" Phantom smiled. Nick's body started to twitch and his legs started to buckle.

"I don't care about _anyone_ that isn't precious to me." Nick rushed up and dove for Phantom, who easily dodged it. Nick did a roll and picked up a brick. He threw it at Phantom who moved his head to the side.

"You're not as good as I would have expected now that you're tired." Phantom frowned. Nick shot up to him, Phantom prepared to jump out of the way, when Nick disappeared.

"See ya'!" Phantom turned around to see Nick jump off the castle with Diana. He held on to her tightly as they dive bombed 30 stories to the ground. Nick's vision tunneled and he started cussing. "God damn it I can't stay… awake…" Nick's eyes started to close.

**Don't give in Nick-san… you don't want to let anyone die because of you… do you?**

Nick's eyes shot open. He found himself in a white space with nothing around him. In front of him, a red orb was shining brightly.

"Who in the hell?" Nick started to ask.

**Do you want the tattoo to take you over?**

"Of course not…" Nick replied to the orb. The words vibrated through the space.

**I can take it away from you.**

"What's the catch?"

**Several things actually, first off you'd have to wear a mask that contains the tattoo.**

"'Kay"

**You'd have to merge your magical powers together.**

"You mean my hidden power? Ok I'm cool with that."

**And…**

"And?"

**You'd have to become a demon on earth. Never to gain salvation, always destined to kill.**

"Absolutely." Nick smirked.

**I thought as much… I've known you long enough that I could tell that would be your answer.**

"I'm not going to heaven anyways, so I might as well." Nick smirked. His vision came back and he looked to see the ground a story above his face. He did a twist and landed on the ground, he shot off from the castle and ran as fast as he could.

---

"I can't believe we got away from him." Diana smirked. "Thank you Nick-kun!"

"Anytime." Nick mumbled before smothering the campfire, he yawned before handed the rest of his fish to Diana. "You said you haven't eaten in a while, so have the rest of my helping." Nick turned over and started to sleep on the dirt.

"Aren't you hungry?" Diana asked.

"I'm too tired to be hungry." Nick muttered.

**The tattoo is now gone forever Nick-san. But you will always carry it around with you.**

'_Destined to kill huh? You better mean that.'_

Diana ate her fish carefully. She looked at Nick for a few moments before looking over to see Phantom looking at them from the trees. She shrugged and Phantom disappeared.

'_His magical power is starting to blend, it's odd.'_ Diana shook her head. _'I don't think I'll understand his power now… but, I can still manipulate him.'_ She smiled softly before turning over and beginning to sleep.

---

Nanashi stuffed his last piece of bread into his pack. He walked out of the kitchen to see Kira, Samantha, Robert and Catherine waiting for him with similar packs.

"Well? Any idea where Nick could be before we head off?" Nanashi asked.

"I think we should try any nearby fortresses. If that creepy dude wanted to kill him or keep him hidden he'd need somewhere to stay." Robert suggested. Nanashi nodded and held up his arm.

"Andarta! Take us to Rendal's castle." Nanashi and the crew glowed a bright green before being whisked away to their destination. They looked past the tall castle to see the sun rising. Nanashi frowned and looked up to see a dark shadow of magical power hovering over the castle. "Lucky us… I think we found it on the first try."

---

"Diana… they found it." Phantom whispered into her ear. She smiled and shooed him away.

"Keep them busy, I'll be there with Nick soon enough."

"He should be out for a few more hours though, the Zombi-" Phantom looked over to see a figure in the place of Nick. The figure had a long blue cloak on and a black mask. The mask had no eyeholes or anything to signify that Nick could breath. "Interesting… I'll take your word for it." Phantom disappeared into the distance as an explosion went off in the distance. Diana looked over to Nick; suddenly she lurched over as an incredible amount of magical energy oozed from Nick's body. Nick sat up slowly and looked over to Diana. The mask steamed for a second, and two white circles and a mouth appeared on it. When the steam stopped, the mask looked happy.

"Hello Diana." Nick said happily. "I'm sorry if I act a little hostile, you see I have an incredible urge to _kill_ this morning." Diana's face scrunched up in pain as the magical energy finally died down a little. She finally could stand it to the point where she could stand up.

"I think I know where we can remedy that." Diana said. She pointed back to the castle. It was burning in several places and metal clashing was heard from the forest.

"Great…" Nick said in a joyful tone. Diana glanced at him for a split second before he ran off to the castle.

---

Kira hit a guard on the head with the side of her sword. The guard stumbled and Samantha stabbed her trident into the guard's neck. He spluttered blood for a while and then fell back into another one of his friends.

"Oh crap I killed him." Samantha frowned. Nanashi got in front of her and punched an incoming attacker.

"No time to be mournful, we need to save Nick." Nanashi took his sword out and kneeled down to stab a guard in the chest. Before a blue blur snatched the guard's head off. "EH?!" Nanashi stood up to see a blue robed figure eyeing him, he wore a black mask that gave him a bloodthirsty look.

"Hello Nanashi-san. Sorry I'm late to the party." Nick said happily. Nanashi got in a fighting stance.

"Who are you?"

"I'm so hurt you can't recognize my voice." He said sarcastically. Nick the ran forward to a guard that was closing in on Kira. "MINE!" He kicked the guard in the chest and he keeled backwards. Nick then ran forward and thrust his hand through the guards armor. Blood oozed out into his hand and Nick pulled it out quickly.

"Everyone! Don't worry about the guards, focus on the crazy kid!" Samantha yelled. She went around Nanashi and charged Nick. Who simply twisted her arm and stole her trident.

"Yoink!" He yelled as he suddenly disappeared. He reappeared near the roof and threw the trident at a guard a few feet from Rob. He floated down in front of the rest of the guards. "Now now you guys, there's no need to be angry. Just be glad I can control _whom_ I want to kill right now." Nick's magical power shot up and he charged through all the guards. They fell down in an instant, showing Nick standing at the other end of the mob.

"Nick-kun!" Diana yelled as she ran up to him. The others gave her a disbelieving look as she over all the corpses. "Nick-kun, please be calm. Just fight the urge ok?"

"NICK?!" Kira yelled. "THAT'S NICK?!" She walked up to him and smacked his mask-covered face. "YOU KILLED ALL THOSE PEOPLE! WHY?!"

"Could be the fact that they were _attacking _you guys." Nick's mask smirked. He turned to Diana and frowned. "Sorry, I can still control who I want to kill though so it's not a huge loss. Besides…" Nick smiled wickedly. "I'm having the time of my life." He turned around and started to walk on. "Oh by the way, Kira-hime?" He turned back to her.

"What?" She said tartly.

"Sorry." He said. He then turned around and walked on.

"Sorry? For wh-" Kira remembered the break up and when she found him in the bed with another girl. _'Why the hell is he sorry? Unless…'_ She looked over to Diana, her look turned into a viscous glare. _'GOD DAMN IT THAT UNBELIEVABLE SON OF A BITCH! HOW IN THE WORLD ARE SO MANY GIRLS ATTRACTED TO HIM?'_

"Err… Kira-san?" Diana asked with a confused face. "Why are you trying to kill me with your eyes?"

"I'm going to kill you in your sleep." Kira said harshly before walking away. Diana shivered at the girl and hid behind Samantha.

"Oh don't worry about it, the sleep line means she likes you!" Samantha grinned.

"N-N…" Catherine tried to get out. She moaned and chased after Nick. The others yelled at her and ran after both of them.

---

Nick chopped a man in the neck, which normally would just knock him out. But Nick's incredible burst of power actually allowed him to chop _through_ the man's neck, sending his head careening into a corpse filled hallway. "Oh yeah! Watch me work!" Nick started doing the 'Monkey'. (Which is bobbing your knees and moving your arms up and down in front of you. His mask grinned what would be a toothy grin if the detail were such you could see teeth. Nick quickly then composed himself and walked on. _'This isn't good, as much fun as I'm having, the bloodlust just keeps getting stronger, I'm gonna need to control this soon or I may put everyone else in danger.'_

Nick thoughts were quickly interrupted by a metal ball smacking him upside the head, he fell to the floor with a comical thud and got up quickly.

"God damn it to blood spewing pus gut in hell." **(A/N: Family Guy reference, if you don't get it you suck.)** Nick shook his head. "Who did that?"

"I see now… you finally unlocked your power to seal the zombie tattoo in that mask." Phantom came out of the shadows, Babbo indignantly looking at him with his evil features.

"Couldn't you have killed him Phantom?" Babbo asked.

"I'll have plenty of lives to do that, I wanna see his new power in action." Phantom smiled.

"NOW GUYS!" Nick yelled. Phantom looked behind him surprisingly, before a sharp pain shivered through his pelvis. He fell to the floor with an incredible smash and Nick stuck his tongue out at Phantom. "I hate to do that to another guy, but I HATE YOU SO MUCH RIGHT NOW THAT I'LL MAKE AN EXCEPTION!" Nick then continued to keep kicking Phantom in the nuts. "I CAN'T KILL YOU BUT I'LL MAKE YOU WISH I COULD!"

"OH DEAR LORD THE AGONY!" Babbo yelled out. Nick glanced at him with a stupefied look. "W-what are you looking at me for?" Nick's look turned into a mischievous grin.

"YOINK!" Nick grabbed the kendama from Phantom's loose grip and continued to run with his ball dangling far behind him. "Wow, even with my strength here, you're a heavy bastard aren't you?"

"SHUT UP!" Babbo yelled at him.

---

**INTERMISSION:**

**Nick: That's right ladies and… well, I think there's only one girl who reads this so far TT Damn, I guess everyone just wants to know what happens AFTER Defection. Well TOO BAD! 'Cause this bastard's gonna be 3 times longer than Defection! (Maybe…) Anyways, this chapters an extra long chappie!**

**Story Nick: Err… and you're gonna have the emotional strength to do this?**

**Nick: OF COURSE I WILL! I mean it's not like moving 500 miles away from everyone I know and care for will stop me from having the emotional ability to finish my stories!**

**Samantha: Right, so why do you have a razor in your hand?**

**Nick: Oh no reason. I'm just gonna go off in a corner now.**

**Kira: OH NO YOU DON'T! Grabs Nick GRAB HIS LEGS!**

**Samantha: Aye aye captain!**

**Diana: This is the maniac you were based off of?**

**Story Nick: I know, it's sad isn't it?**

**Nick: HEY! I KNOW ALL YOUR SECRETS! ESPECIALLY THE ONE YOU TREASURE THE MOST!**

**Story Nick: You better not. Takes out a meat cleaver**

**Phantom: Oh this is getting good!**

**Rob: Yeah I know. You want some popcorn?**

**Phantom: Oh please!**

**Catherine & Babbo: WE WANT SOME TOO!**

**Rob: NEVER!**

**Nick: YOU HAVE A THING FOR WINNY**

**Story Nick: LIAR!**

**Winny: Glomps YAY! NICKY-KUN!**

**Story Nick: You bastard! You know I don't have a thing for her!**

**Nick: Writes in a notebook You do now! And now she's more energetic about you if you haven't noticed!**

**Diana: My god… You all read this maniac's crap? Reads a notebook slipped in front of her eyes. OH MY GOD! THAT'S THE TWIST IN FINAL DESTINATION?!**

**Nick: I know, shocking isn't it?**

**Diana: Dude… you're readers are gonna be pissed.**

**Nick: That's why I invented the Angry Reader Blocker 5000!**

**Diana: You mean the pillow and the razor?**

**Nick: The pillow's so I can sob in it and the razor is for-!**

**Everyone else: WE GOT IT YOU EMO FREAK!**

---

Samantha turned the corner to see a strange man laying down. Her eyes grew wide to see that blood was oozing out from in between his legs. **(A/N: And that's why Phantom's fangirls will never be able to have his babies.) **In fact, she was so surprised that she rushed everyone along before they could recognize him.

"Oh god, Nick must really have hated that guy." Rob noted before he walked off.

"Poor man never had a chance." Nanashi put his hand to his heart and sobbed a little.

---

"Put me down you insolent little shi-!" Nick smashed Babbo's head into the wall.

"You know, it's relatively easy to shut you up like that." Nick grinned.

"I think I lost a tooth." Babbo said.

"Good!" Nick laughed as he ran down the hall. He slid across the floor, dragging Babbo with him, and smashing him into every soldier in range.

---

"Kira… can I ask you something?" Diana muttered. Kira glared at her and she shivered for a moment. "Uh… do you like Nick-kun?"

"_Why?_" She spat out. Diana shook her head and ran ahead to catch up with Samantha.

"What's wrong with her?" Diana asked with a terrified face.

"You're homing in on her man moron." Samantha chuckled. "She's a little protective of him because he's quite the ladies man if you catch my drift."

"Why does he like someone like that?" Diana yelled. Samantha's look turned cold as she thought back to a few days ago.

---

"_Meh." Nick said. "As much as I hate to admit it… I don't think I'll ever find someone like that." He turned to her and grinned wider. "Besides, who would fall in love with me?"_

"_You have a crap load of fangirls," Samantha pointed out. "Chances are you'll find one bearable one among all of them."_

"_They don't like me because I'm me though, they like me for what I do." Nick pulled out a bottle of alcohol from a backpack close to him. "Want one?"_

"_I try not to drink actually." Samantha sat down. "Didn't you say you wouldn't drink anymore?"_

"_I like myself better when I'm drunk." Nick smiled as he took a quick chug. "It's a self-esteem thing."_

"_You have self-esteem issues?" Samantha chuckled. "Now I've heard everything." She looked over to Nick, who simply looked up to the skies. "Nick?"_

"_Yeah?" Nick looked at her blankly, she sighed and scooted over to him. "What?"_

"_Is there something you want to talk about?" Samantha took the hint. Nick shook his head._

"_I don't like to talk about my problems." Nick smiled. "Besides, I bet there are millions of people in the world who have it worse than me." He looked over to Samantha, who gave him a concerned look. "It's nothing."_

"_It's obviously something." Samantha folded her arms. "So let's start simple, why do you like Kira?"_

"_Because she's not shallow." Nick said. Samantha arched an eyebrow._

"_That's it?"_

"_That's it." Nick took another swig._

"_Not because she treats you equally?" Samantha asked._

"_No one treats me equally." Nick's face reddened, the alcohol obviously had gotten to him. Just two sips of the tiny bottle got him drunk. "It's confusing. I treat most people like crap and they stick with me, through everything I do."_

"_True friends stick with each other."_

"_I don't want any friends." Nick spat out before he took another drink._

"_Why?" Samantha asked disbelievingly._

"_All I do is drag them into my problems." Nick looked over to her before groaning in detest. "Like I'm doing now."_

"_It's ok to talk about your problems." Samantha took the bottle from his hand. "But I think we should lay off the…" She smelled the bottle. "What in the? How did you get fermented papaya?"_

"_Nanashi gave some to me." Nick took the bottle back. "And I'd rather drink it all." He took another drink._

"_Ok…" Samantha rolled her eyes. "So why do you think you're dragging people into your problems?"_

"_Hey Sam-chan." Nick smiled. "What do you think would happen if I jumped off the building?" He put the bottle back in his bag._

"_You would land." Samantha told him._

"_In my world you would die." Nick grinned._

"_Why are you grinning?" Samantha got a little scared by Nick's drunken grin. He took off his mood ring and put it up to the moon._

"_I believe that God has a plan for all of us…" Nick frowned. "But I think that not even the almighty can keep an eye on all his creations… so maybe that's why I was lonely all those years." Nick slid the mood ring back on his finger before getting up; he patted Samantha on the head before walking down stairs. "Thanks."_

---

"Because she doesn't judge him by his looks." Samantha answered. Diana looked at her with an odd look.

"That's it? Nick-kun's quite a mystery isn't he?" Diana muttered.

"Not really…" Samantha answered. "Just give him some respect and he's an open book." She looked past Diana to see Nick walking with Babbo in tow. "THERE HE IS!"

"Eh?" Nick turned around to see Samantha tackle him. "WAH!" He fell to the ground. Babbo slipped free and bounced away with a triumphant cackle as Nick twitched under the blonde. "Hi Sam-chan."

"Yo…" Samantha smiled.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Kira kicked Samantha off Nick and stomped on his back. "HOW MANY TIMES ARE YOU GONNA CHEAT ON ME?!"

"Stop it!" Nick yelled at Kira as she kicked him in the side. She refused to stop and Nick sighed. He grabbed her leg and twisted her in mid-air, she landed on the hard stone floor and cursed a little. "I'm not cheating on you, and besides, I broke up with you remember?"

"BREAKING UP WITH ME BECAUSE YOU THINK I DON'T LIKE YOU ISN'T A GOOD REASON!" Kira shot up and slapped him in the face. Nick's mask rolled its eyes and he slapped her back. She shot him an angry look and slapped him again. He returned the favor and they both broke out in a slap fight. "Stop slapping me!"

"You stop slapping _me_!" Nick yelled. Kira ducked his slap and tried to punch him in the stomach. Nick's mask shot her an angry look and he kicked her in the face. She sailed back into the stone wall, leaving an indent as she fell from the wall to the floor. Nick's mask stared in disbelief at what he just did. The others glared at Nick and he immediately ran off in another direction. _'God damn it! I'm losing control! I have to calm down but I can't do it when I have Kira yelling at me!'_

"Oh my god. Kira are you alright?" Samantha helped her up.

"I can't believe it, Nick's a woman beater." Nanashi bit his lip.

"No… that wasn't Nick." Kira coughed. "Nick would never hurt me. It's something about that mask." Kira got up and steadied her legs.

'_Nick-san…'_ Catherine thought. _'I thought you loved her, why won't you be with her?'_

---

Nick opened the door to the roof. He sat on a block on the edge of the platform. He sighed and slowly took off his mask. His hood still darkened his face a little but his facial features were distinctly noticeable in the sunset.

"Damn it… I need some alcohol." Nick threw the mask behind him. It melded into the ground and reappeared in his lap. "I knew it."

"Nick-kun… you're very mean." Phantom's voice came from behind him. Nick didn't even turn around.

"Leave me alone."

"Why are you so depressed?" Phantom walked up and sat next to him.

"None of your business." Nick continued to look at the sunset.

"Hey Nick-kun… do you want to know a secret?" Phantom's lips curled into a creepy smile.

"Not really." Nick looked away.

"I'm going to take over MÄR-Heaven." He chuckled. "And I would love to have someone like you to help me."

"Sounds tempting, I'm always up for a fight. But I don't really feel like exerting the _effort_." Nick glared daggers at the white haired man.

"You disappoint me… well, if you won't help me, I'll have to kill you ya' know." Phantom told him with a condescending tone.

"Go ahead… I won't stop you." Nick got up from his perch and walked up to Phantom. "I have too many memories that are haunting me right now… go ahead and make me forget them…" Nick glared at Phantom, who gave him a smirk.

"I'll consider it if you beg." Phantom gave him a happy smile. His jaw nearly dropped when he saw that Nick was getting on his knees.

"Phantom-sama… please put me out of my misery." He said solemnly.

---

**INTERMISSION TAKE 2**

**Story Nick: I don't think you've shown enough pain from my part to merit me wanting to die.**

**Nick: That's the point… no one knows why you feel so sad so they want to find out…**

**Diana: You just want more people to read.**

**Nick: IS THAT SO WRONG?!**

**Winny: Yeah… it really is…**

**Nick: You suck.**

**Winny: So do you…**

**Nick: I created you ya' know.**

**Winny: Kicks Nick in the balls Too bad.**

**Phantom: Oh god I remember the pain.**

**Story Nick: Yeah sorry… I didn't know that I broke the cup you wore for that scene.**

**Phantom: It's ok, I passed out after the third kick so I don't remember much.**

**Kira: Yeah but I got a bloody nose from my stunt.**

**Story Nick: I know I'm cursed…**

**Samantha: Just be glad we didn't make you jump off the building in the flash back.**

**Nick: I thought about making him too.**

**Everyone Else: Starts kicking the life outta Nick.**

**Nick: AHHHH! THE AGONY!**

**---**

**Fun Facts:**

**-I've spent 70 percent of the time I took writing this story between the hours of 9 PM to 3 AM**

**-Kira and Rob were completely based off their real versions, with a few personality quirks blown out of proportions. While Nick was actually based more off of many different anime characters I know with a few of my personality quirks.**

**-Catherine was actually based off a little girl that used to be my neighbor, she actually treated my like an older brother so that's where the idea came from.**

**-Little kids like me for some reason… I have NO idea why.**

**-I've accidentally written Naruto like themes into this story and not noticed it until I do my 'skim check'. Meaning some of my chapters are actually second drafts.**

**-Samantha was actually based loosely, and I mean LOOSELY off my annoying piss ant sister who I want to choke with a pillow. That's only in her hyper personality and some of her looks, like the hair. Everything else is all my imagination.**

**-When I'm writing I constantly change emotional gears based off the song I'm listening to while I'm writing the passage. So it goes from the following spectrum**

**Eminem: Pissy and a little sad**

**Green Day: Sad-ish (I only listen to Boulevard of blah blah and Letterbomb**

**Weird Al-Reel Big Fish: Funny**

**Sum 41: Normal.**

**---**

Phantom arched an eyebrow. "So you really want to die do you?" He lifted the kendama to Nick's throat. "Why do you want to die so much?"

"Because I do not deserve to live."

"And why do you not deserve to live?" Phantom was starting to enjoy this.

"Because I have forsaken god's greatest gift." Nick looked away.

"You mean like you are now?"

"Yes…" Nick grabbed the handle of the kendama. Phantom held the hammer back so Nick couldn't thrust it into his neck.

"And why would you forsake such a thing?" Phantom asked. Babbo smiled wickedly under Phantom's influence.

"Because nobody wants me…" Nick's eyes grew sadder. "Nobody ever wanted me to begin with, and they made sure I knew that."

"I see… so you were shunned?" Phantom shook his head. "Loneliness made you want to die?"

"Shunned isn't a good enough word…" Nick frowned. "It doesn't matter though, the memories are there, and I want them to go away." Nick pulled on the kendama, but Phantom held it firmly in place.

"Very well… I will grant your wish." Phantom took the kendama and shoved it into Nick's neck. Blood spewed from his flesh as his body fell limp to the floor.

"N-N-NICK!!!!" Phantom turned around to see Kira fall to her knees at the door. Tears fell from her eyes freely as she watched a pool of blood ooze from Nick's body. The others stared at Nick's body disbelievingly.

"Y-Y-YOU KILLED MY BEST FRIEND YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Rob shot forward with a sword in hand. Phantom dodged his first attack and punched him in the face.

"It may come to a surprise to you… Nick doesn't seem like the kind of person who is open with his pain… but he chose to die by my hand." The others stiffened. "In fact… he even begged me to kill him."

"YOU'RE LYING!" Rob ran towards him with anger in his eyes. He sliced and chopped at him but hit nothing but air.

'_Nick…wanted to die?' _Catherine's head started to spin. _'Why… why? WHY? I DON'T UNDERSTAND ANY OF THIS ANYMORE! ALL I KNOW IS THAT BASTARD'S KILLED THREE PEOPLE CLOSE TO ME! I'LL NEVER FORGIVE HIM! NEVER!'_ Catherine raised her hand and stole the ÄRM from Samantha's hand. A bright glow illuminated the darkened sky and a small fox and a small angel appeared in front of Catherine, the Angel floated around Catherine as the fox curled up around her neck. Swishing it's one tail back and forth. She called out the trident and ran towards Phantom.

"Catherine!" Samantha reached out to grab her but missed the ten-year old. Catherine threw the trident at Phantom, who caught it and threw it back at her. The fox wrapped it's tail around it and Catherine grabbed it from the fox. She stabbed at Phantom and he dodged it, he attempted to punch the little girl but the angel got in front of it, she put her arms out and a shield blocked the punch, the fox then stabbed Phantom in the arm and he reeled back.

"Very impressive little girl…" Phantom smiled. "Now tell me… who are you to Nick?"

"I… I did… I didn't know him well." Catherine managed to get out. "But he… he… w-w-was Onee-chan's f-f-fri-friend." She spun the trident around. "AND YOU'LL DIE FOR KILLING HIM!" Catherine jumped and attempted to hit Phantom in the head with the trident. But he punched through the shield and sent her flying back.

'_Why do I hear fighting?'_ Nick thought, pain coursed through his body and left him numb. _'Are those my friends? Why are they fighting? I'm not that important, they shouldn't have to fight for me.'_

Kira slowly got up and walked towards Nick. Tears still falling freely. She finally reached him and crashed to the floor. Laying her head on his robe and sobbing into it. "Nick… don't die… please don't die… you can't die." She sobbed out. Her tears started to flow even more as she started to hyperventilate. Gasping for breath in-between sobs. "Don't die! Please don't die!" She pounded into his chest.

Nanashi nudged Samantha. "Damn it I have to help them, now stop standing there, you have a healing ÄRM now go use it!" Nanashi took out his sword ÄRM and charged Phantom. Samantha came out of her trance and rushed over to Nick.

"DON'T DIE!" Kira screamed as she heard Nick's heartbeat grow faint. "PLEASE NICK DON'T DIE!" She scratched at her throat from the lack of air and screaming. Samantha patted her on the back and tore her necklace off her neck. She put it over Nick's neck and a white light started to surround it.

Nanashi ducked the punch and Rob jumped off his back. He slashed through Phantom's shirt and Catherine took the opportunity to throw the trident at him. It embedded itself in Phantom's arm and the man smirked at the blood coming from the wound. He took the trident out and turned around and threw it at Kira. It stabbed her in the back and she fell to the floor.

"KIRA!" Samantha yelled. Kira's tears slowed down as she looked at Samantha.

"Please… save… Nicky…" She muttered as her eyes closed. Samantha's eyes formed a new fire as she healed Nick.

"This is all your FAULT YOU STUPID ASSHOLE!" She punched Nick in the stomach. "I SWEAR TO GOD I'M GOING TO KICK YOUR ASS AFTER THIS!" She yelled. Nick coughed up blood as his eyes opened.

"What happened?" Samantha slapped him and pointed to Kira.

Phantom cackled manically as he dodged every blow that came his way. Nanashi's tired swings were slow motion to him. Suddenly, he felt an incredible weight on his shoulders, he looked over to see Nick's bloody figure staring at him, his mask materialized on his face and it gave him a neutral look.

"You killed Kira… You killed my best friend… You killed my girlfriend… You killed THE GIRL I LOVED YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" Nick disappeared and rammed his knee into Phantom's face. Everyone fell to the ground at the power coming from Nick. Phantom smashed into the stone floor and rolled over to the edge of the roof, but Nick had already beat him there and kicked him up into the sky. He then shot up and grabbed Phantom by the foot. Bringing him down with him, he slammed him into the ground, his face bled from the contact and his facial bones shattered under the impact. Nick spun around and flipped Phantom over his shoulder, smashing him into the ground again.

"No… no way…" Nanashi muttered. "If this kid gets any more powerful I think I'm gonna barf." He looked over to Catherine, who was having a hard time adjusting to the power. Rob slowly got up and carried her next to Kira and Samantha. Samantha was struggling to stay awake while healing the wound on Kira's back, her eyes drooped and she would seem to doze off for seconds at a time before snapping awake.

"Will you be ok over here?" Rob asked before looking at Nick. He threw Phantom off the edge of the roof and jumped after him. "HOLY CRAP!"

"If you won't die!" Nick tightened his grip on Phantom's upside down body. "I'LL JUST DESTROY YOUR BODY!" He rocketed both of them to the ground. Phantom smirked and raised his hand.

"Not today. Nick-kun." Phantom said wickedly. He suddenly disappeared in a green light, leaving Nick to fall the rest of the twenty stories without something to cushion the fall.

"You suck!" Nick yelled as he plummeted to the dirt ground below.

---

"Diana… you should be with the others." Phantom mentioned as he appeared in the corridor. The torches were out but he could plainly see the Queen.

"I told them I would hold the guards back." She smirked under the veil of darkness. "But thank you for the concern. Now what about you?"

"I'm fine, a little rattled, he caught me off guard." Phantom admitted. Babbo sneered.

"That's good…" Diana glared at him. "But what were you thinking admitting him death?" Phantom cringed, "Listen Phantom… you will have many chances to kill him, but we will not complete our examination of him if he is dead."

"I'm sorry." Phantom looked away.

"However…" Diana smiled softly. "This girl Kira and Nick's obvious depression may help to forward our plans quite a bit. For this discovery, I only have to thank you." She walked away slowly, leaving Phantom to wonder what the Queen had in store.

---

Nick scrambled up the wall as fast as he could. Grinding his bloody fingernails into the crevises between the bricks until he reached the top. When he got there, he saw Kira slowly getting up. His facial expression softened as he slowly removed the mask. He ran over there and embraced her in a hug.

"Damn it don't do that!" He yelled at her. "If I'm dying you're not supposed to go with me!" Behind him, he heard the sound of cracking knuckles. He turned around slowly to see Samantha cocking her fist back. He tensed up and felt her fist slam into his cheek bone, sending him to the ground.

"IDIOT! You're were trying to kill yourself!" She yelled. Everyone's looks turned from relief that Nick was alive to anger. They all crowded him (Except Kira and Catherine.) and started yelling at him.

Rob: "What were you thinking!"

Nanashi: "Who's gonna be my pervert buddy if you're dead?"

Samantha: "If Catherine wasn't here right now I'd knock all your teeth out!"

Nick simply smiled and rubbed the wound Samantha inflicted. Catherine walked over and peeked her head through the three to see Nick give her the peace sign and stick his tongue out. Samantha kicked him in the head.

"WHAT ARE YOU SMILING AT?!"

"Diana-chan!" Nick yelled as a bloody pink-haired figure came up the stairs. Kira's eyebrow twitched.

'_CHAN?'_ She thought angrily. She got up and quickly walked over to Nick. "You, me, talk, NOW!" She yelled as she grabbed him by the collar of his robe and dragged him off. Diana's looked at them oddly, motioning that she's bleeding.

"Dammit, my Holy ÄRM's breaking, oh well, I guess I can always get a new one." Samantha put it over Diana's wounds and was healing them as Nick and Kira started talking.

"What's with the chan?!" She yelled at him.

"Err… what's wrong?" Nick gave her a quizzical look. Then it turned into a cheesy grin. "You're jealous…"

"Wha-? AM NOT!" She yelled. Her face grew beet red and she started to kick the ground.

"It's ok." Nick took her hand and smiled. "I'm sorry I broke up with you like that…"

"You're an idiot by the way." Her eyes narrowed. Nick sighed.

"Yes I am…" Kira then wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him.

"But you're my idiot I guess." She sighed back at him. He grinned and wrapped his arms around her waist. Nick opened his mouth to talk but Kira stopped him. "Did you really want to die?"

"Weak moment…" Nick looked off to the side. "Just… Kira?" She looked up at him. "You remember what our old teacher said to us? About teasing?"

Kira put her finger to her chin. "If you tell someone something enough times they'll eventually believe it?"

"Yeah… that about sums it up… of all the things that made me want to die… the words probably hurt me the most."

"What happened to the 'Impenetrable wall' you always said covered your heart?" Kira teased him a little.

"You've opened it up quite a bit since I've lived near you." Nick gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Thank you."

---

**Nick: Err… that sounds like a good place to stop right?**

**Story Nick: Please! Too much acting for this week makes me a dull boy.**

**Diana: Yeah please…**

**Kira: Hey Nick!**

**Nick & Story Nick: Yeah?**

**Kira: Err… real Nick…**

**Nick: What's up?**

**Kira: Is the real Kira you're girlfriend?**

**Nick: Oh god don't remind me…**

**Kira: HEY! Am I really that bad?**

**Story Nick: Oh god don't remind me…**

**Nick: You wanna go get some ice cream and wallow in our own horrible taste in women?**

**Story Nick: You're paying.**

**Nick: Always.**

**Rob: If you want my opinion… I think if you kiss the poor bastard everyonce in a while you'll make him feel loved.**

**Kira: Why would I want to do that?**

**Rob: …**

**Samantha: You're so clueless Kira…**

**Rob: Hey guys wait up!**

**Diana: Wow what's a biotch…**

**Kira: Hey!**

**Nanashi: I am so unsurprised.**

**Kira: WHAT?!**

**---**

**Hehe, ok that's it for this chapter… anyways, tell me what you think, REVIEW DAMN IT! I WANNA HAVE PROOF THAT MARHEAVENANGEL ISN'T THE ONLY PERSON WHO READS THIS! I AM TOTALLY OFFENDED BY THIS YOU KNOW! WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FANS OF DEFECTION? WHY WON'T YOU READ THIS?**


	7. Chapter 7: UBER UBER UBER LONG CHAPPIE

**A/N: Well, I realized I cheated on the last chapter, it was supposed to be super long but ended up being drug out simply because of the intermissions.**

**So this chapter's gonna be 4 times as long without any intermissions… and possibly 5 times as long with them… **

**So here's the breakdown for today's chappie:**

**Episode 1: Complete and utter randomness. This has nothing to do with the story and pretty much qualifies as retarded.**

**Episode 2: A little more romantic as we go back to KiraNick**

**Episode 3: We go to Catherine and Nick.**

**Episode 4: Nick's fifteenth birthday party.**

**Thanks to Phantom'sAngel who finally made me feel not like a hack by reviewing!**

**P.S. anime4all (DOT) co (DOT) nr**

**---**

**What happens on a normal day at the Thieves Guild?**

**Episode 1: Fangirls and Revenge**

Catherine looked up at him, her eyes were wide and she made a slight whining noise. She was giving him the perfect example of the puppy dog eyes.

"No…" He said plainly. He looked behind him to see Kira looking at him the same way; he jumped and shook his head. "No!" He looked to his side to see Samantha giving him the look as well. "Why is everyone begging me to do this?" He turned around again to see Diana giving him the wide-eyed look. "YOU'RE NOT EVEN INVOLVED IN THIS!"

"I'm just trying to fit in…" Diana shrugged. He guy sighed and then gave in.

"Fine go ahead." All the girls glomped him at the same time, they squeezed the life out of the diminutive boy. Nick and Nanashi sweat-dropped from a distance.

"Should we be envious or happy?" Nanashi asked with an innocent look.

"Happy… if all those girls treated me like that I'd get tired of it eventually." Nick's eye caught a bush rustle behind him. "Nanashi, fangirls at 7 o'clock." He got ready to run.

"Escape Plan Delta!" Nanashi took out a smoke bomb and threw it to the ground. The fangirls jumped out but couldn't see the two run away. After the smoke cleared, the girls ravaged the bar looking for them. But to no avail; they finally left with a sigh and Nick and Nanashi sighed from their perch up on the ceiling. "These bolts in the ceiling are the best investment I ever made.

"Tell me about it…" Then Nick's eyes widened. "Wait… did we just run from girls who were going to throw themselves at our feet?" Nanashi's visible eye grew wide and he jumped from the ceiling. Nick followed suit and ran after the girls. "WAIT FOR US!"

"Oh no you don't!" Kira broke free from the glomp-fest and chased Nick down the hall. "Get back here you little pervert!"

"There's nothing little about me!" Nick yelled at her. Kira blushed from the comment and he quickly realized the hidden meaning too. He apologized before he heard a rumbling coming from behind him. Kira's eyes grew to a giant stampede behind Nick. Without looking Nick ran away and grabbed Kira on his way out of the hall.

"WHEE!" Nanashi yelled from inside the stampede. Nick glared at him but kept running like hell.

"NICKY-KUN!" The fangirl mob yelled. Kira glared at them and started waving her arms.

"HE'S MY BOYFRIEND DAMN IT! ONLY I GET TO CALL HIM THAT!" She yelled. Nick winced as he felt the killer intent coming from the mob.

"You've just signed our death warrants." He hissed. She gave him a confused look before turning to see that the mob had stopped. A shaken Nanashi stood up in the crowd, covered in kiss marks and ruffled up everywhere.

"Why'd the party stop?" He asked confusingly. The girls glared at him and started to tear at him with their nails. "AH THE PAIN! DEAR GOD IT HURTS!"

"Nanashi-san!" Nick yelled. The girls stopped and glared at him. "Oh crap…" He started to back away slowly.

"Nicky-kun has a girlfriend?" One of the girls sobbed. "No… she's too ugly!" Kira's eyebrow twitched. "Nicky-kun wouldn't pick someone like that over us would he?" Kira started to shake uncontrollably. Nick put her down and rubbed her shoulders.

"Calm down… it's ok… don't do anything ra-" Nick then noticed the evil grin on Kira's face. "What are you up to?"

Kira smiled and embraced Nick in a hug. He stared at her with a dumb look on his face. He then noticed one of her hands was going lower, until it was over his butt. "MY BOYFRIEND!" Nick blushed a little and tried to shake Kira off.

"DAMN IT KIRA!" He yelled. "What are you doing? You'll get us both killed!" He looked over to see all the fangirls were drooling or foaming at the mouth. "Dear lord if me and Kira-baka ever get out of this I swear I will never make fun of your creations again."

"Let's kill her." One of the fangirls said.

"Oh c'mon! Don't kill Kira-hime!" Nick covered his mouth. The girl's mouths dropped to the floor.

"HE CALLED HER HIME!" One of the girls yelled. "LET'S GET HER!" The mob started to run towards them. Kira frowned and gave them a crazy look.

"BACK OFF!" Kira's grip tightened on Nick's butt as a taunt. Nick sighed.

"NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO AROUSE ME OR TAUNT THEM!" Nick yelled. He then noticed that all the yelled got the attention of Rob, who was walking to them.

"Hey what's going on?" He asked as he peeked in the hall.

"Hey girls look! A cute little kid who can't find his mommy!" Nick pointed to Robert. The girls stopped and started giving Robert 'awws' and 'so cutes'. They started to walk over like living zombies to the brown haired teenager.

"YOU SUCK!" Robert yelled as he ran away from the girls. Nick smirked and pushed Kira off him, he led her past the hallway and up a flight of stairs. They sat down and watched with great amusement as Robert dodged all of the rabid fangirls.

"You're insane." Nick chuckled as he rooted on the fangirls with one hand.

"You're mine." Kira stuck her tongue out. She looked intently at Robert until she felt a hand go under her butt. She turned and smacked Nick across the face. "Pervert!"

'_Oh come ON!'_ Nick screamed in his head.

---

Nanashi got up from the cold floor. He felt numb and dizzy as he stumbled to his feet. When he finally balanced himself enough to stand straight, he saw another similar body a few steps in front of him, his clothes were torn, lipstick covered his face, and being trampled bruised him all over his body. Nanashi tripped and swayed over to his friend with an aura of confusion.

"N-Nanashi-san?" Robert asked as he coughed.

"Robert-san." Nanashi kneeled over. "What happened to you?"

"Nick-teme…" Robert coughed again. "He sent the fangirls after me."

"That bastard…" Nanashi shed a tear. Robert coughed again and fell limp. "I'll avenge you my friend…" Nanashi got up and walked down the hallway, concocting a plan that would avenge his and Robert's pain.

---

Kira nuzzled into Nick's chest as they both lay on the couch in Samantha's room.

"I still don't get this game." Samantha pouted. "G5."

"Hit." Kira chuckled as Samantha put a pin down on her sheet of paper behind the tiny brick wall they constructed.. "Nick you pick this time."

"B7." Nick said. Samantha punched the floor.

"You sunk my… Battleship?" Samantha questioned. Catherine walked over and shook her head. "Submarine?" Catherine nodded and went back to her seat a few steps back. Nick smiled and went back to reading his book.

"Interesting books you have here." Nick blushed a little. "You read these kinds of books ofter?"

"What's your point?" Samantha looked to the side. Kira flipped over to place her stomach parelle to Nick's.

"Why can't I read the book?" She asked. Nick stuck out his tongue and gave her the 'It's an grown-up thing' speech. Kira whacked him across the head and struggled to get the book from him. Nick moved farther back and laughed at his girlfriend's feeble attempts. "Give it to me!" She yelled.

"No!" Nick started laughing manically. Samantha took advantage of this and flipped the sheets around. Giving her the upper hand.

"Plllllllease?" Kira gave him the puppy dog look; bringing her hands up to her chin as a representation of paws. Nick stared at her for a second. Then he started to sweat a little, he closed his eyes but Kira forced them open. "I'll give you a big hug!"

"Keep…trying…" Nick muttered as he tried to resist the puppy dog look. Kira put her arms around his neck and pressed her body firmly against him. "Damn it… no fair."

"Ah what's not fair?" She pretended to play innocent. "Oh this?" Kira brought herself closer, placing herself in just the right position to make Nick squirm.

"FINE! TAKE THE DAMN BOOK!" Nick yelled. Samantha's jaw dropped.

"NO! DON'T LET HER READ IT!" She stood up. But Kira was already reading the page. She blushed furiously before throwing the book at the wall.

"ACK! EWW! YOU PERVERTS! GOD DAMN IT THAT'S SICK! WHO WOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT?" Kira yelled.

"Someone who's into sexual contact." Nick rolled his eyes to receive a glare from Kira.

"What's that mean?" She spat at him. Samantha put the book back in her nightstand carefully.

"Nothing…" Nick grinned.

"Oh go to bed…" Kira got off of him, pointing to the door.

"Aw… you're not coming with me?" Nick chuckled.

"No!" She kicked the chair and Nick rolled out of it with a loud thud.

---

(At 3 in the morning.)

"Mmmm…" Nick smacked his lips as he slept. "Rhubarb pie…" He turned over to his side.

"Hehehehe." A voice came from the other side of the bed. Slowly, Nanashi's head peeked over the edge of the wooden bed. He giggled to himself as he pulled out a pen. He lifted his body over the bed and over Nick's head. He slowly lower the pen to Nick's head, trying to keep it steady all the way. He started to sweat a little and little beads fell from his forehead. Nick felt one of the sweatdrops hit his arm and twitched a little, Nanashi froze. Nick simply mumbled and flipped over.

Nanashi sighed, until a fist connected with his face. "THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE HIGHLANDER!" Nick yelled as he fell back into his mattress. Nanashi skidded across the floor and into the wall with a tremendous whack. Nick mumbled again and started to snore as he slept.

"What the hell?" Samantha opened the door. She turned the light on to see a confused and tramitized Nanashi drooling on the floor, and Nick mumbling something about ducks in his sleep. "Uh… ya' know what? I'm just gonna go back to bed." Samantha said as she crept out of the room with an odd look on her face.

---

"OH MY GOD!" Kira yelled. Nick shot up in an instant.

"WHAT?! WHAT HAPPENED?! WHO'S DYING? WHERE'S THE FIRE?" Nick yelled in a panic. Kira simply stuttered and then passed out. "What in the-?" Nick looked over to see Nanashi sleeping next to him. "OH DEAR LORD!" Nick shot out of bed and ran out of the room. "I'VE BEEN RAPED!!!" He yelled as he streaked through the hallway in his blue boxers.

"Teach you to steal my favorite fruit in the morning." Robert smirked from his doorway, he eat a big pink fruit that was resting in his hand. "Oh, teaches Nick something too."

---

**Nanashi: Wow…uh… nice twist.**

**Nick: I want everyone to know that I am not gay nor do I enjoy watching gay sex.**

**Winny: You know, I did have my suspicions.**

**Diana: I know, he is a little too mushy sometimes isn't he?**

**Nick: HEY I CAN HEAR YOU!**

**Story Nick: WE'RE BASICALLY THE SAME PERSON YA' KNOW!**

**Kira: Wait… which one is gay though?**

**Diana: Hmm…**

**Winny: Eh… the real one.**

**Nick: AM NOT!**

**All three girls latch on to Story Nick**

**Story Nick: Hehe, sucks to be you.**

**Nick: You guys are so unfaithful to your authors.**

**---**

**Ok this next ones basically the events that happen when Nick tries to set up the perfect date.**

**Episode 2: Backfire**

**---**

"Ok so if we leave then, and giving ourselves a couple of extra minutes to finish dinner. Then it'll be perfect timing because the stars will be out and everything. And it should be a full moon tonight." Nick wrote on the giant piece of paper over and over. Robert and Nanashi followed the plan with little notebooks.

"Ok, now _where_ do you want to have dinner?" Nanashi asked as he wrote some notes down.

"I'm thinking I cook up some stuff then we go have a picnic." Nick suggested.

"You cook?" Nanashi arched an eyebrow.

"You have _no_ idea." The red head smiled mischievously.

"Err…"

"Two words: Killer meatloaf." Rob mentioned. Nanashi nodded and went back to jotting down notes. "Ok so… on to the food."

"It has to be fancy." Nick chewed on the edge of his pencil. "But it has to go well with the picnic theme."

"Hmm…" Nanashi flipped through different recipes in his head. "Seered paprika with a side of boar?" The two boys stared at him. "On rye?" Nick and Rob nodded and wrote it down.

"Chocolate smoothies." Robert mentioned. Nanashi raised his hand.

"Chocolate?" Nick's mouth dropped at the question.

"YOU DON'T HAVE CHOCOLATE IN THIS WORLD?" He screamed at the top of his lungs. Nanashi buried himself in the couch at the tone of his voice.

---

(After many hours of planning and preparation.)

"I look good?" Nick finished putting on his pants. Nanashi and Rob gave him the thumbs up and opened the door. Nick peeked through to see that Kira was waiting for him at the end of the hall, her back was turned, but it was obvious that she had an elegant dress on. "CRAP! I forgot dancing is supposed to be all fancy in this world! Nanashi! Wardrobe change NOW!" He yelled as he slammed the door. Nanashi started looking around and immediately proceeded to tear his closet apart looking for nice gentlemanly outfits. "I hope we wear similar sizes.

"I'm a little taller than you though." Nanashi pointed out. Nick sighed. "As long as it looks good it doesn't matter just hurry it up!"

"Not good! Not good not good!" Robert started yelling while he ran back and forth as he clenched his head.

"How's this?" Nanashi held up a tuxedo like article of clothing. Nick cracked the door open to see Kira's dress again.

"Got anything a little less flashy?" Nick gritted his teeth.

"Lemme see." Nanashi walked over to the door and looked at Kira. Nick waited for his ruling for a while. He started getting impatient when he realized that Nanashi was drooling.

"Damn it Nanashi-baka!" Nick yelled. "Get me a god damned outfit!"

---

Kira sighed. "You think he's gonna show up?" She asked. Under the ruffles of her dress, Catherine poked her head out and gave her a thumbs up sign. Kira chuckled and turned around to see havoc exploding from Nanashi's room. She shook it off until she heard an giant thud and yelling. She walked over to the door slowly; to make sure Catherine could keep up. And she slowly cracked the door open.

"HEYA!" Nick yelled as he opened the door quickly. He was wearing a black vest that went down to his waist and covered his shoulders, baggy sleeves came out of the vest and went a little past his wrist. She looked his over and saw that his baggy pants were also big on him.

"I feel like I'm about to go a renaissance fair." Kira blushed a little. She was wearing a red celtic dress with a blue fold and white baggy sleeves that came down to show off a little cleavage, but still modest.

'_At least you have someone your size to borrow clothes from, I should have set this date up a few weeks ago so I could find a tailor.'_ Nick smiled. "You look great." He said with a smile. He bowed a little and offered her his hand. She whacked him over the head and put her arm over his shoulders. "Ow!"

"Don't mock me because I feel out of place." Kira giggled.

"Technically you're in place 'cause this is what everyone wears…" Nick sighed. "Anyways, do you want to go now?" Kira nodded.

"Andarta! Take me and Kira to the Reginvale Ball." **(Yes it is a different town, I didn't misspell it.)** Kira gulped as they were sweeped away in a cloud of green light, leaving Catherine behind. Samantha jumped out of the room.

"Oh no!" Samantha started stomping around as she listed off all the things that could go wrong with Catherine not there. "What if they get attacked? You have the right ÄRM's to protect them! We gotta follow them!" Catherine sighed as she walked back into the room and pulled out two dresses. "Great idea!"

---

Nick and Kira appeared right inside the castle. Nick smirked and waved to the confused guards. "Ok, I think we're in the cle-"

"Hey where's your invitation?" One of the guards yelled.

"What?" Kira asked. Nick picked her up and lifted her bridal style. "What are you doing?"

"What are you talking about? I just figured you and me would want somewhere more private to dance." Nick jumped up and kicked off the castle wall. They sailed through the air and to the castle. "Besides… you can't jump in that dress, you'll ruin it."

"By jumping?" Kira arched an eyebrow.

'_DAMN IT! Just take my word for it!'_ Nick smiled. "Oh yeah! The fabric really just tears apart in the air, you wouldn't BELIEVE it." Nick kicked off another wall and landed on a nearby balcony.

"Well if you say so." Kira said disbelievingly. She looked over to see a small circle corridor surrounding the ballroom. The ballroom was an expansive tiled floor with a giant golden chandelier hovering over it. **(Think Beauty and the Beast like but twice as big so a bunch of people would fit in it.) **"Oh wow!" She gasped.

"See? Private. Now… would you like to dance?" Nick bowed and held out his hand. "Don't hit me this time." Kira smiled and took his hand. Nick straightened and they both walked over to a large circle opening on the balcony. Nick wrapped one hand around her waist and the other laced their fingers together. Nick began to sway back in forth while circling around the opening. _'Thank the lord I still remember what Samantha taught me.'_

---

"Oh good they made it past the guards without conflict." Samantha took the binoculars away from her face, she handed them to Catherine who held them up to her eyes by the golden handle. She smiled and gave them back to her.

"Oh? I didn't know you guys were here." Diana said from behind them. They both shivered and turned to see Diana walking down the stairwell. She was wearing a white dress with pearls lining the bottom. She looked like a queen with the man next to her guiding her down the stairs. Samantha suddenly felt self-conscious because she didn't have a man and she was wearing her backup dress which was a black celtic dress that had some tears on the inside lining. Catherine sighed at the green beaded gown she was wearing that made her look just as bad

"Wait, what are you doing here?" Samantha asked. She looked over to Catherine whose eyes were wide open and full of fear. _'She must be in shock at the dress.'_ She guessed.

"He invited me." Diana said. Samantha turned to look but Diana waved to her. "But what are _you_ doing here? Did a lucky guy invite you?"

"No…" Samantha's head drooped. "We're actually keeping an eye on Nick-kun and Kira-san to make sure their date comes along perfectly." Samantha pointed to the two of them. Diana nodded and walked along with her date.

"Well good luck with that!" She smiled as she walked on. "You heard all of that right?"

"And here I thought I was gonna be bored." The man smiled. He was a tall man with semi-broad shoulders; he had short white hair and piercing purple eyes. He was wearing… (Oh screw it, he was wearing the same thing the Beast was wearing ok? I don't know what they're called.)

---

Kira rested her head in Nick's shoulder as they spun. Nick smiled and tilted his head onto hers. _'Great, everything's perfect now.'_ He spun her softly around as the music echoed through out the ballroom, it was a foreign beat, but it was enjoyable and the music filled the two teenagers with a sense of elation. Nick spun her one more time and brought her back to his chest, bringing their hands up and his free hand across her chest.

---

"Oh no, he's getting frisky." Samantha started to panic. "He can't do that this early! That'll ruin the date!" Catherine jumped up and stole the binoculars from her hands. She peeked through them and looked straight at Phantom, she started pointing at him erratically with a terrified expression. Samantha sighed and tapped her on the head. "Mine." She stole the binoculars and looked back to the two lovebirds.

---

Nick swung her back out and brought her back to the normal position.

"When did you learn to dance? Last time you tried something like that you failed horribly and I ended up tripping." Kira chuckled. Nick looked to the side.

"Well… when you ha-" Nick stopped himself. _'NO! Don't make a joke about the fangirls, say something more romantic.'_ Nick smirked and looked back at her with a soft look. "I decided to learn just for this day." He pictured himself doing a slam-dunk with his tongue hanging out. _'SCORE! Reason: 1, Instinct: 0!'_

"Aww… that's sweet." Kira placed her head in his chest and smiled softly. _'Ok, so Samantha was right, he said something sweet and witty, now what do I do… err… DAMN IT I CAN'T REMEMBER! It had to do with seductive, wait, but she knows I don't like to be seductive… well… much I guess… AW TO HELL WITH IT!' _Kira simply smiled. "I'm lucky to have you as a boyfriend."

---

Samantha squinted. "I'm…lucky…" She attempted to read Kira's lips. "To have you as a boyfriend?!" She nearly screamed. "She's free styling!" Samantha picked up the frantic Catherine. "Why is she free styling? She can't be free styling? She has to do seductive! SEDUCTIVE DAMN YOU!" She yelled in the middle of the ballroom, the music stopped and everyone stared at Samantha.

---

'_Samantha you IDIOT!'_ Kira started to sweat bullets as Nick looked over.

'_NOOOOO! Damn it don't stop now!'_ Nick started yelled and cursing silently. "Maybe we should find somewhere more suitable to dance?" Nick suggested. Kira looked to him and nodded with an impersonal look. _'Damn, where did the soft look go? I'M LOSING HER! THINK DUMBSHIT THINK!'_ Nick then came up with an idea. "Perhaps the Ouvalt Castle?" Nick suggested. _'Okay, so now I have to break into a castle that DOESN'T have a ball currently going. Then we dance alone, romantic yes, but easier said than done.'_

'_Good, he didn't notice those two.'_ Kira glanced at the two girls, who were walking out of the ballroom quickly. _'Okay, so act pleased, soft smile and a reassuring hug.'_ Kira wrapped her arms around him. "That sounds wonderful."

'_Oh no… she's faking it for my sake.'_ Nick frowned. _'Damn… I wish I wasn't that good at reading body language.'_ Nick raised his hand. "Andarta, to Ouvalt courtyard." Nick whispered. Green light went around them and them took them both away from the ballroom.

They both dropped down on a beautiful garden that surrounded the castle, Nick smiled at Kira and then looked to his right to see that he was right in front of the castle, where all the guards were. Nick picked her up and quickly walked out of sight of the guards.

"Stop doing that!" Kira yelled. Nick cringed as he heard voices coming in his direction from the screaming.

"But again, it's a castle, we wouldn't want you to get in line with the common folk my princess." Nick smiled. Kira blushed a little and gave a sheepish grin. Nick took the chance to jump over the castle gate. The guards didn't notice him as he landed on the solid black brick, Nick sighed and then aimed for another balcony as he leaped. _'This might actually turn out well.'_

---

Samantha kicked Nanashi's door in. "We've got trouble!" She yelled, she glanced at the two boys reading their books and slammed into the floor. "You two aren't helping Nick?"

"Help him?" Nanashi asked. "That boy's as good a smooth talker as I am, he won't need help. Besides, whenever friends get involved they always mess something up." Samantha sweat dropped and kicked Nanashi's chair over.

"THAT'S NOT TRUE NOW HELP US DAMN IT!"

---

Nick glared in the corners of the ballroom, he dropped down the last floor and landed in the middle of a beautiful golden ballroom. _'Good, it looks just as good as the other one.'_

"Where's the music?" Kira asked. Nick's jaw dropped and he put her down quickly.

'_Ok, let's try and fix this.'_ Nick came up with a solution involving threatening workers while Kira wasn't looking. When the door opened slightly. Nick turned around and looked at it sideways in a slack fighting stance. He was surprised to see several men in black tuxedos walking up to them with several instruments. He played off it and looked to Kira. "You didn't think I'd pull something that lame did you?" He smiled and took her by the hand. He looked past her and saw a white haired man smiling at him. He instantly froze and felt his blood turn cold. He turned to Kira to see that she was frozen in a half walking position with a look of happiness stuck on her face. He looked over to see the band frozen as well. He turned back to see Phantom right beside him.

"Nice to see you can play matchmaker." Nick sneered. Phantom raised his hand but put it back down.

"I won't strike you." Phantom grinned. "That would cause suspicion to your date."

"So what do you want?" Nick asked carefully, he turned sideways and clenched his fists.

"You're getting stronger all the time, that mask of yours isn't always with you." Phantom commented. Nick turned to face him fully.

"I'll ask again… _what do you want_?" Nick asked venomously.

"Simply for you to have a good time…" Phantom smiled. "_While you can._" He walked absent-mindedly around him. "Because I can tell what kind of a person you are. And you know as well as I do, that this won't last."

"Really?" Nick knitted his brow together. "Then what kind of person am I?"

"You're full of hate and apathy, if you don't want to, you don't have to like her." Phantom put his hands on Kira's shoulders. "She's a beautiful girl for her age. No wonder you're attracted to her."

"Get your hands off of her." Nick said coldly.

Phantom disregarded him and cradled her chin in his palm. "But you don't really love her do you? You think you do, but someone like _you_ could never love. You're too convinced that she'll hurt you to love her." Phantom smirked at him.

"Don't touch her…" Nick said again. His voice was dark and made Phantom afraid. He shook off the fear and stood up with his hands at his side.

"You'll come to me when she does hurt you…" Phantom smiled. "And then you'll force yourself to forget her, you'll love no one but yourself. Because that's who you are."

"Kira-hime is the woman I love." Nick gave him a passive look. "She is everything to me and regardless of how hard I tried, I could never forget her." He looked away for a second. "I may not love her forever, I know that she doesn't deserve someone like me. Hell I may even bear the pain of loving her and seeing her with another man. But that will not deter me."

"Deter you from what." Phantom asked.

"Believe me when I say that I will do everything in my power to protect her, I will never let someone like you ever touch her." Nick walked towards Phantom, his eyes started to fade to black. "My goal is to protect my friends, and to give my life to those who would save me from my own hatred." Phantom looked at him with mild amusement.

"Very well, Nick-kun." Phantom smiled. Before looking out a window. "It should be time for your dinner, don't you think?" Phantom disappeared in a flash of green that blended in with the setting sun in the distance. Kira suddenly tripped and fell into Nick's arms.

"Let's go get some dinner." Nick said coldly as he walked her away from the castle.

---

Nanashi and Rob held onto Samantha's dress as she attempted to run out of the room.

"But what if they mess up?" Samantha whined.

"They'll be fine! Nick-san can handle it!" Nanashi yelled. Samantha whined some more as she started kicking Rob in the face.

"Ow you little-!" Robert pulled the dress and it tore off of Samantha. Nanashi got a nosebleed and Robert looked away with a blush to see that Samantha was naked under the dress.

"You go commando?" Nanashi questioned.

"Shut up, I had a hard time fitting in that old thing." Samantha got up and stormed into her room.

"What'd she look like?" Rob asked.

"Not bad, but nothing special in her chest." Nanashi shook his head. Robert chuckled. "Nice one by the way."

"Had to get her to shut up somehow." He rubbed the back of his head with a smile.

---

Nick looked at Kira softly and took a bite of his sandwich. Kira gazed at the plate below her with a delectable dish.

"And you get a fricken sandwich?" Kira asked with a chuckle. Nick smiled.

"Yup!" Nick laughed. "You wanna trade?"

"You have an extra sandwich in there?" Kira started to dig in the endless basket until she pulled out a sandwich. "Cool!" She sat down next to Nick and started to eat it.

"Nice sunset huh?" Nick smiled. Kira looked at him with a full mouth and nodded.

"Yeah, if I didn't know any better I'd say you planned it." Nick's jaw dropped. "But you're too lazy to plan this that perfectly." He fell to the floor. "I'm just kidding!"

"Hehe, speaking of planning, how much help did you get from Samantha and Catherine?"

"Oh god, the dress, and they ruined the dance thing." Kira rolled her eyes. "And they established EVERY single possibility and ways for me to say just the right thing."

"I knew it, you were lying out your teeth when you said going to the other castle was fine." Nick smiled. Kira pushed him a little and stuck her tongue out. Nick pushed her back a little harder and gave her a similar look. Kira then pushed him really hard and he started to roll down the slight hill. He hit a rock half way down and flew into the air and embedded his head into a tree. Kira picked her dress up and ran to him.

"Oh my god, are you all right?" She asked. Nick kicked around and then pushed his head out, his hair was a little messed up but he still looked nice. "Idiot…" She giggled.

"Oh that's not nice." Nick smiled. Kira wrapped her arms around Nick's neck and brought her face closer.

"But you're my idiot." Kira whispered. She brought her face closer and closer to Nick's. Both of them blushed fiercely as she got a mere inch from his.

"Yes! She's gonna do it!" A voice came from the bushes. Nick and Kira both sighed and Kira let go of Nick.

"I'm going to tear out of the organs of whoever that is if you don't fix this awkward moment right now." Nick said angrily. The bushes started to argue with each other before they threw Nanashi out. "I know it wasn't _Nanashi-san_." Nick rolled his eyes. The bushes threw Rob out next.

"Rob-baka wouldn't do that either. And that was a girl's voice." The bushes threw out Catherine next.

"OH C'MON! SHE DOESN'T EVEN TALK!" Kira and Nick both yelled out. Nick took her by the hand and they both stomped over to see Diana and Samantha trembling in fear.

"Err… she said it." Samantha pointed to Diana, who moved backwards behind the blonde. Nick and Kira both started to chuckle, they're chuckle turned into full out laughter and they both walked away from the situation. "What the hell?"

---

Kira placed her head on Nick's shoulder. "So much for the perfect date." Nick sighed. "I wonder how she got Nanashi and Rob to come though."

"Probably with some form of bribe, the kiss could have been it." Kira chuckled. Nick looked to her with a smile.

"You wanna try that one more time?" Nick asked. Kira shook her head.

"No, the moment's passed." Nick's head dropped. Kira laughed and picked his head up with her hand. She walked over and placed a slight kiss on his cheek. She winked at him and then started to walk off. "But… I hear you can see the whole galaxy at night here. Wouldn't that be romantic as well?" Nick suddenly regained his consciousness and ran to her.

---

Nanashi twiddled his thumbs. "They should be back by now." He muttered.

"Don't worry, I'm sure they're fine…" Robert smiled. "Or… you don't think…"

"No way…" Samantha's jaw dropped. "KIRA? I don't think she would do _that._" As if on cue, the door opened to the building. Nick and Kira walked inside, Kira was acting as a crutch to Nick, who was a little beat up but still standing. "Oh my god!"

"Hehe, turns out the Thieves of Luberia aren't the only thieves out there." Nick laughed, he got off Kira and scratched the back of his head. "We got ambushed on our way back. They caught me off guard but I took care of them."

"Idiot! Don't act so tough! You almost got run through with a spear trying to keep me safe!" Kira yelled as she beat him over the head. Nick smirked.

"You're fine, I'm alive, and so it's all good." Nick walked her up the stairs slowly, and with a slight limp. The others gave a sigh of relief and attempted to follow him, before Nick turned back with an evil glance, the others stopped and ran back to the bar.

Nick stopped in front of Kira's door and smiled. "I'm glad your okay, and besides that, I hope you had a good time."

Kira hugged him and buried her face in his chest. "Idiot…"

"But I'm your idiot remember?" Nick smiled. She looked up and Nick gave him a soft look. She stood straight and said good night. Nick stood there with an awkward face on. Kira looked at him oddly before getting the message.

"Please don't try that on me, I already kissed you once today, I think it's bad luck." Kira giggled. Nick sighed and turned around.

"Good night." Nick raised his hand and gave her a little wave. Nick walked over to his room and stopped in front of his door, he heard footsteps run towards him quickly. He turned around to see Kira wrap her arms around his neck. She leaned up and gave him a quick peck on the lips. She then smiled and ran back to her room, leaving Nick to stand there like an idiot.

---

"Nick-san?" Nanashi poked him. Rob slapped him across the face.

"I think he's broken." Nanashi said. Nick then leaned backwards and crashed into his door. "Yup… he's broken."

---

**Nick: I would like everyone to know that in the middle of writing that I went to the real Kira's birthday party, where I got sunburned all over my face, and on my left eye. HOW DO YOU SUNBURN YOUR EYE? NOW I CAN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE EVEN A LITTLE LIGHT MAKES ME EYE WATER! I FEEL LIKE AN ESKIMO IN MY DARK LITTLE ROOM RIGHT NOW! GOD DAMN IT TO HELL! And when I finally start peeling it's gonna suck.**

**Story Nick: Tough break there sparky. You shouldn't have forgotten your sunscreen**

**Nick: You would have done the exact same thing in my position.**

**Story Nick: That's not the point.**

**Kira: Heya Nicky** **glomps**

**Story Kira: Nicky-kun! walks next to**

**Story Nick: What the eff? That's all I get?**

**Story Kira: Oh fine Hugs**

**Nick: Hehe…**

**Kira: Wow, it's like looking in a mirror. 'Cept your hotter over there.**

**Nick: HEY! WE LOOK THE EXACT SAME!**

**Kira: I'm kidding!**

**Rob: GUYS! GUYS! SOME WEIRD CLONE OF ME IS FOLLOWING ME AROUND!**

**Story Rob: WHY IS THERE A CLONE OF ME?!**

**everyone looks around**

**Both Robs: AHHHHHHHH! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE NICK?!**

**Both Nicks: Don't look at me like that…**

**---**

**Anyways, one of the reasons I haven't updated yet is because I've been dabbling in the world of DJing. If you want to check out the songs I've made so far go to nick-kun (DOT) newgrounds (DOT) com**

**---**

**Older kids surround Catherine all day long, but when she spends a whole day around Nanashi from boredom, she has a few questions to ask Nick.**

**Episode 3: I'm smarter than I look ya' know**

**---**

Catherine knocked on Nick's door softly, she heard a few giggles and then a hush. Nick opened the door fully and Catherine saw Kira laughing on the bed, Nick looked tired, his hair was everywhere and he was wearing an undershirt and some loose sweat pants.

"Oh hey Cat-chan, you need something." He arched an eyebrow as Catherine started writing on a pad of paper, she held it up and it plainly said:

Nick-san, what's sex?

Nick's jaw dropped and he ran over to Kira, he whispered something in her ear and she had the same expression Nick called Catherine over. Catherine closed the door and jumped up on Nick's bed.

"Ok now Cat-chan. Where did you hear about sex?" Nick asked. The little girl wrote on the pad of paper again.

Nanashi and a few girls were talking about it.

"Ohhh I'm gonna kill him…" Kira mumbled.

"Not now." Nick spat. He looked over to Catherine. "Now… Cat-chan… sex is, an act where…" He covered his eyes. "I can't do this! You do it Kira-hime."

"She asked you though!" Kira yelled back. Nick sighed and regained his composure.

"Fine… sex is…" Nick put his hand to his chin. "A very special thing that you do with someone you love, and… do you know where babies come from?"

Catherine arched an eyebrow and shook her head. Nick sighed and decided to get this over with.

"Don't spill everything." Kira said.

"She needs to know." Nick said. "Sex is what makes babies, when a man and a woman have it, the woman grows a baby in her womb, and then after nine months the baby pops out of her err… special place."

Catherine's eyebrow twitched a little she looked down her pants and then tried to think how big a baby is.

---

Nanashi took another sip of his booze. _'That Catherine isn't too bad to hang out with, she's a good Battleship player at least.'_ Nanashi smiled. Suddenly, he heard a loud screech echo through out of the building. Followed by Catherine running as fast as she could down the stairs and out of the building. Nick and Kira were running after her and by the looks of it were having a hard time keeping up.

"You idiot I told you not to spill everything!" Kira yelled.

"I was _trying_ to be discreet about it!" Nick yelled back as he slid through the door way.

---

Catherine looked back and forth, no sign of Nick or Kira. Slowly she backed up against a tree and started to roll back and forth in the fetal position.

'_Happy thoughts.'_ She forced herself to think of a beautiful rainbow. She smiled and then her face darkened as her imagination turned to having babies fall out of the rainbow. _'ARG!!!! Why did I even have to ask? I didn't need to know what sex was UGH! I'm never gonna have kids as long as I live!'_

"Cat-chan!" She heard Nick in the distance.

"Catherine-san!" Kira yelled. "Damn, maybe you should have given her the stork speech instead."

"What was I gonna say? Sex is like a wireless phone that can call a bird that delivers babies? She's too smart to believe that!" Nick retorted. "At least I didn't tell her you could just have sex for fun, that way she won't try it until she loves someone." Nick tried to justify his blunder.

"I'll give you that, but do they even have condoms in this world?" Kira sighed. **(Ok I apoligize if you have religious beliefs against sex for fun or against condoms, but this is the way Kira and Nick were raised, so that's how they think.)**

"You have a point…" Nick sighed. "Oh well, the guy could always jus-"

"Don't go any farther than that, I don't want to know." Kira then twitched. "Wait, how do YOU know?" She asked. Nick shivered and he started to blush.

"Well ya' know, I know a lot of people so I get a lot of information!" Nick stuttered and mumbled through out the sentence.

"I KNEW IT! YOU WERE CHEATING ON ME!" Kira hit him.

"WAS NOT!" Nick yelled. "I'M PARANOID SO I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT I SHOULD DO IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS!"

"LIAR!" Kira stormed off. Leaving Nick to weep. Catherine peaked through the bushes and ran over to Nick.

"Oh… there you are Cat-chan." Nick smiled and sat up. "Wait… did you hear everything I just said?" Catherine nodded and Nick smacked his forehead. "Okay then, we need to talk again." Nick patted his lap and Catherine carefully sat on it. She wrote on her pad of paper and raised it again.

I'm confused.

"Yeah… well… it's very confusing…" Nick rubbed the back of his head. "Sex is a very, very confusing subject, and it will be until you're older, and even then you may be confused."

Catherine wrote on the pad again.

Have you and Kira-san had sex?

Nick's eyes widened. "Err… no, we have not." Catherine started writing again.

What about Nanashi-san?

Nick nodded. "I'm sure he has."

When do have sex?

"When your ready. And that always differs based on the person, the rule of thumb is to remember that it should with someone you love."

Like Onii-chan?

"WHAT? NO! That's different, she's part of your family." Catherine made an 'Oh' look.

"Listen, I'm not too good with subtly so I'm probably not the best person to talk to at your age, try your sister." Nick smiled awkwardly.

I don't want to. So did my mother and father do that to have Onii-chan and me?

"Yes they did." Catherine looked pained for a moment.

I don't remember my parents too much.

'_Oh c'mon, we went from an awkward subject to a painful subject, I don't need this right now.'_ Nick groaned inwardly. "I'm sure you'll find them one day."

Samantha always said they wanted to fight to make a perfect world.

"And what happened to them?"

The white haired guy sent them away.

"Oh… I'm sure you'll find them one day." Catherine frowned and wrote another thing on the pad.

Could you teach me to talk?

"Yes… yes I could." Nick smiled. He picked her up and placed her on his shoulders before walking off. "Lesson one: Say 'thank you Nick-sensei.'"

"T-t-t-thee"

"Nope… tha." Nick made the sound.

"Tha… thank." Catherine smiled. Her voice sounded weak and raspy but it still came out right.

"Good, see? You can talk, you just injured your vocal cords not talking for so long." Nick smiled. "Hold on." Nick jumped up and sailed to a nearby tree, Catherine stared wide-eyed on his shoulders as he kicked off the tree and sailed to the next. "Ok, keep going."

"Th-thank 'ou…" Catherine bit her lip, she had developed a slur already! "N-nik?"

"Close but it's not 'ik' it's 'ick'" Nick latched onto one tree and ran around it a little, spriling downwards before jumping straight to a pointed rock, he spun off that and then grabbed onto one branch with his foot.

Catherine stared at her current predictament, she was on the shoulders of someone who was upside down 50 meters above the ground. Her shirt was sagging off of her and she couldn't see because of it. Nick smiled and flipped himself off the branch.

"Sorry, I forgot you were actually wearing a shirt." Nick grinned absent mindedly as he ran through the leaves on the ground, his sweats made an odd sweeping noise as he rushed through and in between trees. "Nick…"

"Thankk you Ni-Nick-sensei." Catherine smiled. "Thank you Nick-sensei!" She said it slowly and clearly to make sure she wouldn't screw it up.

"Awesome!" Nick looked behind him to congratulate her but ran into a nearby tree before he could say anymore.

---

Nick kept the block of ice on his head. Samantha scolded him on telling Catherine what sex was and ended up hitting him a few times.

"The sex thing isn't even that bad though… the main problem is… _Nanashi-teme._" Samantha's eyes narrowed. "Oh and what did you do? She keeps saying the same line over and over again…"

"Thank you Nick-sensei?" Nick guessed. Samantha shook her head.

"No, she actually says Onii-san." Samantha sighed. "I'm just glad you got her to talk finally, you must have had some kind magic on your side."

"I'm just good with kids, maybe it's because I'm funny." Samantha glared at him for a second.

"It's just the fact you get hurt a lot." She spat. Nick sighed and his head dropped a little. Then, as if on cue, Catherine came in and sat next to Nick on the couch.

"Hello Onii-san." She said slowly. Nick arched an eyebrow.

"Why am I worthy of Onii-san now?" Nick asked. Catherine smiled.

"Be-be-beeeee." She groaned.

"Be-ca-us-e" Nick helped her.

"Be-ca-us-e you ar-are helpi-ing me t-talk." She grinned.

"Urm…ok then." Nick took the ice block off and patted her on the head. He then looked to Samantha. "Doesn't that make me your older bro-?"

"DON'T TRY THAT TRICK ON ME!" Samantha kicked him in the head

---

Kira woke up that morning with a killer case of bedhead, she walked over to Nick's room out of pure willpower and opened the door. "Nicky-kun… do you wanna get some breakfast?" She opened her eyes to see that Catherine was latched onto a half-sleeping Nick. Nick turned his head and looked to her. He scooted both him and Catherine over.

"Join the party, I'm still tired." Nick patted the side of the bed. Kira walked over and sat down on the bed. Nick reached as far as he could and wrapped his arms around Kira's waist and brought her down so she was laying on the bed with them.

"Get offa me…" Kira mumbled. Nick shook his head.

"I don't wanna." He grumbled back. Kira gave up and decided to sleep on her side.

"Onii-san?" Catherine asked. "Are you two gonna have sex now? 'Cause I'll leave." Nick and Kira's eyes both shot open and then looked at the ten-year-old.

"No we're not." Nick said as he lay back down. But Kira simply stared at Nick.

"What did you tell her?" She asked with an indignant tone.

"She found out you could have sex for fun, but she forgot I told her your not like that." Nick said sleepily.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?" Kira punched him in the head. Nick bounced back and his head got stuck in her leg. "What the hell?"

"Please don't cuss in front of Cat-chan, she's talking now so she might pick up some bad language." Nick said. Kira's eyes widened as she realized that the ten-year-old was actually talking. She suddenly got a giant headache and wandered out of the room.

"What in the world happened after I stormed off?" She said confusingly, she closed the door softly and then walked to Nanashi's room. She knocked on it softly and she instantly heard the sound of footsteps. Nanashi opened the door and looked at her with his eyes half opened.

"Yes Kira-chan?"

"YOU'VE SCREWED UP THE NATURAL ORDER!" Kira kicked him in the stomach and stormed off. "Fricken pervert."

---

**OMAKI Central- I feel like randomness right now.**

**Chapter 1: Messing with your mind.**

**Nick: YAY! It's the day after now and my burn still doesn't hurt! It's a little annoying feeling like you have numb skin but I'll survive.**

**Story Nick: And then the chapped lips.**

**Nick: Semi-chapped.**

**Story Nick: And then the blisters.**

**Nick: Came off yesterday when I was rubbing my face with a wet towel.**

**Story Nick: And then the zits.**

**Nick: There big enough that when the burn goes away my mom's gonna do the tornado thing and pop them all when I'm sleeping.**

**Story Nick: But what if the burn doesn't go away before Comic-con?**

**Nick:…**

**Nick: ARG YOU'RE RIGHT! AND I ONLY HAVE 8 MORE DAYS UNTIL I MOVE! AND KIRA WON'T WANNA GO OUT IF I HAVE A KILLER BURN ARGGGGG!**

**Story Nick: Hehe, I love doing that to him.**

**---**

**Chapter 2: Go fish.**

**Nick: Go fish…**

**MarHeavenAngel: Arg…**

**Nick: Tough crap Peanut-chan.**

**MarHeavenAngel: Errrrr…**

**Winny: Haha! You have to deal with it now!**

**Story Nick: That things like a virus it infects you and you never get it to go away, right Peanut-chan.**

**Winny & MarHeavenAngel: Shut up.**

**Nick: Wait… I have an idea.**

**Story Nick: Oh yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Peanut-chan, do you have any 5's?**

**Winny & MarHeavenAngel: No… Go fish. Wait, which Peanut-chan?**

**Nick: It's your turn Peanut-chan.**

**Winny & MarHeavenAngel: Wait… **_**which**_** Peanut-chan?**

**Story Nick: Your holding up the game Peanut-chan, hurry up!**

**Winny: That's it, you get the real bastard, I got the fake one.**

**MarHeavenAngel: You sure you don't want the real one? You gotta crush on the fake one remember?**

**Winny: Meh, I'll just forget I do for a little bit.**

**Nick: Now my clone, this is how you avoid such situations as the one we're about to be beat into.**

**Story Nick: Uh… how?**

**Nick: Smoke Bomb!**

**MarHeavenAngel: Get back here!**

**---**

**Chapter 3: Mau**

**Nick: Footloose. (Places down 2 fives)**

**Kira: God save the queen. (Places down a queen.)**

**Winny: (Places down a ten.)**

**(Nick and Kira stare.)**

**Winny: What?**

**Nick: You get a card for failing do to the dance.**

**Winny: What dance?**

**Kira: We can't tell you, it's against the rules.**

**Nick: You get a card for talking.**

**Kira: Thank you.**

**Nick: You get ANOTHER card Winny for failing to say thank you.**

**Winny: WHAT? THIS GAME IS BULL!**

**Nick: Insulting the Mau (Another Card)**

**Winny: You suck.**

**Nick: Failing to say thank you. (Another Card.)**

**Winny: Thank you.**

**Nick: Showing your cards. (Another Card)**

**Winny: WHAT THE HELL?**

**Nick: Profanity. (Another Card.)**

**Winny: I quit…**

**Nick: Point of order.**

**Kira & Nick: … YAY WE WIN!**

**A/N: Real game by the way, you learn how to play by losing, it's really fun when you're strong enough to crush the skull of the Mau and he's afraid to be a meany to you… like me **

**---**

**OH MY GOD I TWISTED MY ANKLE TODAY! I'M BEING PUNISHED FOR SOMETHING! BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT!**

**---**

**Nick's birthday has never been something he's enthusiastic about, in fact he spends most of his birthday sleeping!**

**Episode 4: Why should I?**

**---**

Nick turned over in his bed. He was trying to ignore the four girls jumping up and down on his bed.

"It's Nicky-kun's birthday! Get up!" Kira yelled in his ear. Nick scrambled and fell to the floor. Samantha jumped down and dragged him to his feet.

"C'mon Nick-kun! You can't sleep your special day away!" She pouted.

"I can if I have nothing to stay awake for…" Nick closed his eyes.

"What if I give you a kiss?" Diana said seductively. She ran her finger down his stomach and his eyes shot wide open.

"Hey that's my job!" Kira yelled.

"I don't see you doing your job then!" Diana rebutted.

"I don't like to do it when other people are around." She huffed.

"You don't like to do it when we're alone either." Nick grumbled as he fell back to sleep in Samantha's outstretched arms.

"You give enough affection to count for both of us!" She yelled.

"Do you still have a hickey?" Nick asked.

"What are you talking about, you never gave me a hickey, ever." Kira arched an eyebrow.

"Exactly… I just hug you a lot." Nick smiled. "And give you kisses on your head sometimes."

"Stop arguing and start kissing!" Samantha yelled. Catherine stopped jumping on the bed and tackled Nick. She gave him a kiss on the back of his head.

"A k-k-kis-kiss for Onii-san!" She smiled before letting go and going back to jumping on his bed.

"Thank you Cat-chan, that was very sweet of you." Nick smiled and went back to sleep.

"My turn!" Diana tried to sound excited, but on the inside she really didn't see anything attractive in Nick. Except for maybe the broad shoulders, she dug guys with broad shoulders. **(AH-HA! DIANA'S A PHANTOM FANGIRL TOO!)** She closed in on Nick's face and attempted to plant a big kiss on Nick's lips. But she felt a furry block on her lips instead. She opened her eyes to see Kira putting a cat in front of her lips. She spat out the hair and glared at the teenager. **(Ok that was a Black Cat reference, so sue me.)**

"My Nicky-kun! My kiss!" Kira glared back.

"You never kiss him though!" She yelled back.

"That's not the point! And I have kissed him before!"

"Oh for the love of all that is holy." Samantha rolled her eyes. She snapped her fingers to everyone. When they turned. Their eyes shot open to see that Samantha was actually kissing him, and deeply for that matter. She pulled off after a few seconds and frowned to the others.

"Are you two done arguing now? He got the birthday kiss now let's get on to the presents!" Nick turned to putty and fell to the floor in a lump. "Eh? What's your problem?"

"You're a good kisser…" Nick mumbled as he crawled **(If you've seen some kind of slime ball before, think of it like rolled.)** out of the door in his boxers.

"So what? I'm not a good kisser!" Kira stormed after him. Diana simply shrugged and headed out of the door. Catherine stared at the door for a split second before she stopped jumping.

"Onii-san got kissed by Onii-chan?" She started to think. "Eww…" She got off the bed and started to head out the door.

---

"Nicky-kun's in boxers!" The fangirls screamed at him. Nick sighed and looked at the mountain of presents in front of him. In front of those there was a small pile with more easily distinguished presents. 

"Lemme guess, the fangirl presents are all pictures of them…" Nick guessed. The fangirls stopped cheering and slowly slithered away. Nick frowned and pushed all the useless pictures off the table. "Damn leeches they are." He mumbled. "Ok, let's do this so I can go back to bed."

"This one's mine!" Kira held it up. Nick smiled softly and opened it slowly. It was a small rectangular box that was wrapped in blue paper and tied off with a red bow. Nick ripped the paper off to find a wooden showcase in it. "It's for your mood ring so you don't ruin it!" Nick surprisingly looked to the mood ring.

"I STILL WEAR THAT THING? I totally forgot I had it on!" He scratched the back of his head and his friends crashed to the floor.

"My turn!" Samantha said. She held out a small box that was covered in brown paper. Nick opened it to see a pair of underwear. "It's for you to give to Kira-chan!" Kira blushed fiercely when she realized that it was a stringy pink thong of some sort. "Ok now give it back that's actually mine." Everyone stared at Samantha. "What? Here's your real gift." She handed him a larger rectangular box that wasn't wrapped at all, he opened it to see that it was several pairs of faded blue pants. "I noticed your current pairs are getting small on you."

"HE'S STILL GROWING?" Kira yelled. Nick laughed out loud at the comment and patted her on the head. Kira simply sighed and sat on Nick's lap. "Whatever, I like tall guys."

"Err… next!" Nick smiled. Catherine shook her hands from under the table. **(She's so small that all you can see is her hands over the side.)**

"Open mine Onii-san!" She threw a large red box at him, which Nick maneuvered over Kira and caught it perfectly. He opened it quickly (as he was now fully awake) to see that inside was a book with a blue cover and a MATURE CONTENT label on the front. "Nanashi-san said you would like it!"

"WOULD YOU STOP POISONING THAT POOR GIRL'S MIND!" The rest of the crowd yelled at Nanashi, who reverberated at the noise and fell to the floor.

"Thanks Cat-chan!" Nick smiled. "And thank you Nanashi-san for giving her the idea. But you didn't let her read it right?" Nanashi opened his mouth and then closed it.

"Did I let you read it?" Nanashi asked Catherine, who shook her head. "I did not!"

"PERVERT!" The girls yelled.

"My turn!" Nanashi took out a small black book and threw it to Nick, he caught it and instantly a twinkle went through his eye.

"This couldn't possibly be…" Nick looked up at him with an elated smile. "That Nanashi-dono chronicles?!"

"THAT'S RIGHT!" Nanashi smiled. "Only my number one pervert buddy could inheirit such a precious book… full of numbers and addresses, and pictures… and oh god the pictures." Nanashi drooled. Nick hugged the book and started drooling on the couch.

"What the?" The girls all asked. Robert blushed and climbed up to take a look.

"Woahhhhh." They both said. "Oh Nanashi-san, what's the code?" Nick asked.

"Black diamonds are a no-no, blue squares are semi, gold stars are… well… you know." He winked, the boys grinned and looked a few pages down.

"I'm starting with number 754!" Nick smiled. Robert jumped in and pointed out one that he referred to as 258.

"Good choices, I see you already know how to read the quick-o-meter." Nanashi smiled.

"Okay gimme that!" Kira snatched the book from Nick's hands. "OH MY GOD!"

"NO! GIVE IT BACK IT'S MY PRESENT!" Nick screeched. Kira threw the book into the wall and the pages flew everywhere. "NOOOOOOO!" Nick threw Kira off of him and stood up quickly. "GET THE PICTURES!" He yelled before looking at all the crowd's faces. They were all blushing and Diana and Samantha were gaping. Nick looked down and instantly sat down. "Ah-hem." Nick cleared his throat. "Nanashi-san, please get the pictures in my stead."

"Damn the fangirls _were_ right." Samantha excused herself from the room and started giggling to herself.

"I didn't need to see that." Kira covered her eyes and walked away.

"Wow…" Diana slid her present down the table. "Just…wow."

"Nick-san." Nanashi smiled. "You are truly bl-"

"JUST DROP IT!"

"Ok open me and Diana's presents then go take care of yourself ok?" Robert chuckled. Nick grabbed the two presents and walked up to his room.

"TAKE A COLD SHOWER!" Kira yelled as she saw Nick go up.

"ONLY IF YOU'RE TAKING IT WITH ME!" Nick sang as he slammed his door. Instantly the fangirls peeked out of the their rooms.

"WE'LL TAKE A SHOWER WITH YOU NIC-!"

"HE'S MINE YOU URCHINS!" Kira yelled.

---

Nick opened Robert's present, inside there was a small ring with a five-bladed shuriken on it. Nick smiled and put the ring on his nightstand. He then proceeded to open Diana's present to find two rings in it. One was indented and looked like a crater; the other had some sort of gem on it that Nick recognized as Andarta.

"Cool." Nick mumbled before going back to sleep.

---

"Nick-kun! What are you still doing asleep?" Diana's voice rang through his room. Nick opened his eyes to see his wake up party from the morning staring at him. "It's 4 in the afternoon!"

"It's my birthday, I'm allowed to sleep in." Nick groaned. He then felt a tall body push up against his back. "Ok, who just invited themselves into my bed?"

"Oh my god!" Kira yelled. "You little slu-!"

"Shh, she's onto something." Samantha said.

"Well if you're not getting up then I need a place to sleep too." Diana said as she wrapped her arms around Nick. Nick turned around to see that she was now in a nightgown that was very… see through. He sighed and turned around.

"Ok then, just keep your hands above my waist, I wanna sleep." Nick said. The other girl's jaw dropped and Samantha rushed Catherine out of the room.

"H-hey!" She yelled.

"I have an idea your not gonna wanna see." Samantha locked the door and winked to Kira.

"Uh-uh no way!" She yelled.

"Fine, I was gonna let you in the middle with him too." Nick's eyes shot open.

"What are you thinking?" Nick turned around to see Samantha stripping. Nick's nostrils grew and he covered his nose immediately.

"Oh c'mon! She get a nosebleed and I get a sigh?" Diana groaned.

"In all fairness your much older than me." Nick said.

"So? What does that have to do with it?" She asked, she stood up and showed off the curves on her body.

"Ya' know what? I'm gonna go take a cold shower now." Nick got up and rushed to his bathroom. Kira's vein bulged and she waited until Nick was out of hearing range.

"WHAT THE HELL YOU GUYS!" She yelled. The other girls shrugged.

"It got him up." Samantha said.

"Nick's the only guy around here that's generally decent." Diana admitted.

"YOU'RE LIKE SIX YEARS OLDER THAN HIM!" Kira yelled.

"Actually eight, I'm flattered you think I'm so young though." She smiled and pushed her hair back. Kira sighed and started to hit her head into the wall repeatedly.

After a few minutes the girl realized the shower wasn't running. Kira walked up and knocked on the door.

"Nicky-kun?"

"I'm sleeping leave me alone." The girls crashed into the floor.

"WHAT?! YOU FAKED THE COLD SHOWER THING?"

"Of course I did, Samantha's not that hot and Diana's too old for me." The two girls started to kick the door repeatedly to try and break it open. Kira thought about that for a second and then smiled.

"So I'm the only girl you're attracted to around here?" Kira said sweetly.

"Yup. Now lemme sleep." Kira smiled widely and skipped out of the room.

"You tricky little bastard." Samantha cursed under her breath.

"I'm smarter than I look ya' know, oh and I told Cat-chan to hang out with Nanashi-san today." Nick said. Samantha's eyes widened.

"Liar, you just want me to go."

"Fine, you're loss, he wanted to go take a shower with a few girls too." Samantha looked back and forth from the door. She then ran out of the door without a word, leaving Diana to sigh in her loneliness.

"You suck." She groaned. Slowly, the doorknob opened, Diana perked up to see Nick open it quickly, and he placed a quick kiss on Diana's lips and then closed the door again. "What the? WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT?"

"C'mon I'm fifteen, the words too old only apply when you start getting wrinkles." Diana smiled slightly at the comment. "That and between you and me, you're much more mature than Kira is."

"Oh so ironically you like maturity in a woman?" Diana teased him.

"Or that could be the erection talking, you have a nice body too." Nick said. Diana's vein bulged and she stomped away.

"Idiot." She grumbled as she slammed the door.

'_Hehe, all according to plan.'_ Nick smiled as he slept on the floor. _'I wonder how long I'll be able to sleep in here before they all realize I played them.'_

---

**Nick: Ironically, did you notice the only girl who DIDN'T kiss him in some form was his girlfriend? I thought that was a funny idea.**

**Story Nick: I liked it, how about you gir-?**

**All the girls: (GLARE)**

**Nick: Also ironically, I make it a point not to be so popular with the ladies for this reason.**

**Story Nick: What did you say was your type again?**

**Nick: You'll remember after you get out of the hospital**

**Story Nick: God I hate you with a passion.**

**Nick: (Shake an 8-ball) Will fake Nick break many bones in his near future.**

**Story Nick: WELL?**

**Nick: Ask again later… huh, oh well, guess we'll find out!**

**Story Nick: You suck…**

**---**

**DAMAGE COUNT:**

**-Approximately one week spent on this chapter.**

**-Approximately 75 percent more sanity lost on this chapter than usual**

**-More than 5 times the length of a normal chapter.**

**-I have gotten sunburned on the face, twisted my ankle, and punched in the arm repeatedly as punishment as giving my friend the reflex of flinching every time I raise my hand. (I think shock therapy works best when people do stupid stuff ok?)**

**-Officially I am going to Comic-con with my friends.**

**-I think I just set my self up on a date with another woman on the last day of writing this.**

**So the officially damage grade is: I AM SO TOTALLY EMOTIONALLY DEAD! And possibly I will be literally dead if that other girl was serious about the date. TT please kill me.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Ok, so now I have to get off the randomness and put in something to help move the plot along… err… I guess I'll work on the Nick and Diana thing… oh and I'M FINALLY MOVED IN! Yay! Now I have to go to a high school where I don't know anybody and I'm a freshman --**

**Anyways, I'm taking a break from the really long chapters, I might venture into the 3000's with the words but I won't do 10000 like I did last chapter, enjoy anyways!**

**Oh and guess what else? I GOT STRESS PIMPLES! WOOPDIE FRIGGEN DOO! I HATE MOVING DAMN IT!**

**---**

"C'mon I wanna see!" Nick whined.

"I look weird though!" Diana yelled back. She was looking at herself in the mirror, she was wearing a blue long sleeves shirt that hugged her body tightly, she felt a little awkward not wearing her rags, or her gown for that matter. The shirt came down past her waist and stopped over faded blue pants that Nick lent her, they were a little big, but she was tall enough that they fit well.

"Who cares! Get out here!" Nick huffed. Diana opened the door and looked away with an indignant look. "Hmm… it says something."

"Well what's it say?" Diana raised her eyebrow.

"HOTTIE!" Nick gave her two thumbs up. Diana chuckled and walked away. "Thought that would cheer you up."

"So I look good?"

"You look fine now c'mon, Kira-hime will kill me if I'm late to this picnic." Nick raised his hand and the two of them were taken to a grassy plane. In the distance, the rest of the gang waved to them and yelled at them to come over.

"What took you guys so long?" Kira asked as the two of them walked up to the picnic.

"She needed a new wardrobe so I helped her out." Nick told her. Kira looked Diana over and then noticed the shirt.

"Is that my shirt?" Kira asked. Diana looked over to Nick who started waving his hands around.

"NO! OF COURSE NOT!" He yelled. Kira got up and looked the shirt over.

"So you were going through my clothes for _her_ right?" Kira interrogated him.

"Yeah…" Nick looked away.

"Right…" Kira stared at him.

"_WHAT?_" Nick asked. Kira giggled and complimented Diana on her looks before sitting down and eating her sandwich. Nick sat down with a confused look on his face.

"Onii-san!" Catherine yelled. "This is a san…san…sandwich? Right?"

"Good job Cat-chan!" Nick smiled. "And what's that?" Nick pointed to a white butterfly floating above their food.

"Butta…" Catherine cringed. "Butt_er_fly."

"Great! You're talking skills are coming along nicely." Nick grabbed his sandwich out of the basket and took a big bite out of it. "Now say onomatopoeia."

"Nick-baka!" Samantha yelled.

"Onomayo…" Catherine sighed. "Ano, ugg… Onomatyo…" Catherine attempted again and again. Samantha stopped her and hit Nick over the head with the empty basket.

"DON'T BE AN IDIOT!" She yelled as Nick's head crashed into the ground.

"I was just kidding!" Nick yelled out loud as he pulled his head out of the dirt.

"You're a pretty amusing kid Nick-kun." Diana giggled as she took a bite out of her own sandwich.

"Oh that's right we haven't really gotten to know each other." Nick rubbed the back of his head. "If you really knew me you'd know I'm an idiot most of the time."

"I'll say." Kira and Samantha said at the same time. Nick sweat dropped and flipped the two girls off. "HEY!" They yelled as they both punched him in the back. Nick stiffened and then fell to the floor in a gooey pile.

"Onii-san's really smart though!" Catherine came to his defense. The others looked at him for a moment.

"Nick-kun's my number one pupil so I have to take his side on this." Nanashi smiled as he held his drink up in a toast.

"He's my Warcraft buddy." Robert smirked sheepishly. **(A/N: True story, we rock DotA HARD: Lion-Lich combo forever baby!)** He held up his drink as well.

"Thanks guys, but really, I'm pretty damn oblivious to everything." Nick held his hand up before he crawled to his feet. "I'm smart but damned if I use my brain for anything." A few uh-huh's were heard from Kira and Samantha and Nick flipped them off again with a smile.

"Ya' know if you're gonna keep being rude like that, you should just leave!" Kira gave him a stern look, she didn't mean it, but Nick simply smiled and jumped into a nearby tree.

"Okay then! See ya' later!" He yelled. Kira started to groan and run after him before losing sight of him a few seconds later.

"Crap…" Kira sighed.

"That was harsh." Nanashi pouted.

"I DIDN'T MEAN IT THOUGH!" Kira started to sob comedic.

"How about… I go get him?" Diana suggested, the others nodded as they tried to calm Kira down. _'It'll give me a chance to find his weakness.'_

"Geez Kira, what's with you? You're getting all mad and then switching to weepy." Rob pouted. Then something clicked in the boy's head and he dragged Nanashi away.

"Rob-kun? Nanashi-san?" Samantha perked up.

"Tell us when her cycle's over!" Rob yelled as he hid behind a tree.

"_That's_ what's wrong with her?" Samantha looked at the blank faced girl in front of her.

"LET'S PLAY!" Kira jumped up and pushed Samantha to the ground. "YOU'RE IT!" She skipped away immediately with Catherine right behind her.

"Yay! Tag!"

"Dear god… I don't think Kira's ever had this bad of a swing before." Robert mentioned.

**---**

_Nick burst forward with a sword in each hand, he jumped up and brought both blades upon his opponent, his opponent was covered in a black robe with a hood over it. His opponent attempted to counter with the blade in his own hand but Nick grabbed the man's robe and used it as a weight as he spun around him and thrust his handle into his neck. The man fell to the floor with a thump and Nick smiled at his victory._

_Suddenly the man disappeared and the blackness surrounding him was being cleared by a white mist, the mist splashed over Nick's face, he felt a cool sensation that he could only describe as being near a crashing wave. Behind the darkness, he saw a meadow with two paintbrushes in the middle of the small grove. Nick inquisitively picked up the right one and it started to glow red, Nick smiled and started to paint in the air, making random strokes until his mind came up with a sword like design. The red glow dissipated and a large red sword fell into the ground, it was a four foot sword that looked like a normal broadsword, the hilt and the blade were about a foot wide and the handle was about a foot and a half tall. Nick dug it out of the ground easily and raised it up over his head._

"_Me likey!" Nick smiled as he swung it around. He quickly looked over and picked up the other paintbrush, it glowed blue and shot out of Nick's hands. It made several strokes and a small red orb materialized from it. "Me no likey."_

"_Miss me?" The orb's voice echoed through the meadow._

"_Not really."_

"_I'm happy you've learned to control the mask."_

"_Just took a little getting used to." Nick smirked. "Although, I wish I could control you from popping up, I was hoping to get a good fight in my own dreams."_

_The orb suddenly disappeared and Nick spun around to see a small boy with shaggy black hair attacking him with a katana. Nick dodged it and brought his sword up to a defensive position. Nick smirked and charged the boy full speed. He noticed the boy was the size of a 10 year old. His hair came down past his eyes and stopped above his shoulders. The boy was wearing a blue shirt and blue pants; the boy smiled and pushed his hair out of his eyes, revealing demonic yellow eyes that pierced through Nick's very soul. Nick clenched his teeth and swung horizontally, the boy jumped over the sword and landed right on it. Nick continued to swing and stopped to fling the boy off. The boy kicked off a nearby tree and ran at him._

"_You know what the best part of being forced to live in your soul is?" The boy said, his voice was deep like the orbs and held a slightly demon like tone. "You daydream a lot, so I get all the powers you dream up in your sleep." His spare hand started to glow blue and he brought it up to Nick's chest area. Nick sidestepped him but lightning shot out from the boy's hand; it ricocheted off the tree and grazed Nick's stomach. Nick jumped up and threw his sword in the air._

"_If you can do that…" Nick put his hands together. "Then I can do this!" He thrust his hands out and a giant rock materialized in it. He threw it at the boy, who ran away and dodged it easily. Nick grabbed his sword and snapped his fingers. The rock suddenly twitched and stood up, revealing a golem of at least 40 feet. Nick landed on top of it and panted a little. "Damn… it works just like an ÄRM, the more powerful it is, the more concentration it takes." Nick caught a blue glow and tapped his foot on the golem's shoulder, the golem roared and moved out of the way of the incoming blue blast. It hit a tree and the tree turned into a frozen piece of wood. Nick's eyes grew and he faced back to see another one heading his way. He swung off the golem and watched as it exploded in a blue mist. Nick back flipped and ran into the trees, dodging blue ice blasts every which way; he slowly formed a fire in his hand and flipped around._

"_Take this!" He yelled. The fire exploded in a giant wave and burned down all the trees in its path. He looked over it to see if he got the boy, when the forest started to glow white._

"_Nick!" A voice yelled out._

"_Damn it not now!" Nick yelled. The white light grew brighter until Nick could no longer see._

"_Nick-san, we will fight again, I guarantee it."_

---

"Nick-kun!" Diana shook Nick's limp body, Nick was laying against a tall tree and nearly snoring when Diana found him. Nick's face scrunched up and his eye twitched.

"I'm going to open my eyes now." Nick mumbled. "And if you're anyone of the male gender I will immediately attack you for being an idiot and waking me up." He opened one eye to see that it was a pink haired woman in her twenties. "Ahh crap."

"What? Not happy to see me?" She pouted.

"Not happy to be awake." Nick rubbed his eyes and stood up. "So? How long was I out?"

"I've been searching for you for a good 15 minutes." Diana pointed out. _'Not hard to miss his magical power.'_

"Ah, so what's up with Kira-hime?"

"She's on her cycle." Diana chuckled.

"OH! That explains it!" Nick smiled. "So… I guess so won't want to see me still?"

'_I should probably say no so we can talk.'_ Diana thought. "No, just give her a few minutes to cool off, I the mean time, you wanna talk?"

"About what?"

"Stupid, you just said we don't know each other that well." Diana scolded him and sat down. "So let's talk."

"Oh." Was all Nick said as he sat down and started to curl his hair. "Ok, you first."

"What do you want to know?" Diana arched an eyebrow.

"Urm…" Nick pondered the thought for a second. "Nothing really, but let's start with your hobbies."

""I like Chess…" Diana smiled.

"I suck at Chess, I'm much better at Shogi though." Nick chuckled. **(Shogi is the eastern version of chess, or is Chess the western version of Shogi… I don't really know.)**

"Odd… so what about you?"

"Well… I like writing… and drawing… I cook sometimes, but I'm really lazy so I just don't bother." Nick kept a neutral face as he thought. "I like dreaming… and I like strategy."

"Strategy?"

"Yeah… I'm an idiot sometimes, but I'm actually a little smart." Nick pointed out. "Oh and I like fighting."

"Really? I couldn't tell." Diana chuckled.

"Yeah I know." Nick smiled back. "In fact… I wanted to get in a fight today." Nick smiled wickedly.

"You better put my gifts to use then." Diana's eyes narrowed.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Okay… I got nothing. FYI, this chapter's kinda pervy, so make sure no one's reading over your shoulder And if you don't want to just skip to the bottom and I'll recap it for you.**

**---**

"OYE! Watch where you're pointing that thing, you might actually hurt me!" Nick mocked Diana as she charged him with her sword, her vein bulged and she started to swing wildly. Nick smirked and spawned his own sword. He blocked hers and threw her off balance. "Nature ÄRM: Battle Crater!" Nick yelled. A loud rumble was heard and a giant hole suddenly started ripping apart the landscape.

"You missed…" Diana said as the crater stopped right next to her.

"Or did I?" Nick pushed Diana backwards and she tumbled into the crater, rolling in the dirt until she finally leveled out a few seconds later. She got up and started to claw up the hole. Realizing it was futile to claw up a curved wall of fertile dirt, she resorted to jumping. "DENIED!" Nick yelled as he got in front of her and planted his foot into her face. She fell to the floor and Nick jumped back to the other side.

"OKAY! YOU ARE SERIOUSLY PISSING ME OFF!" Diana yelled as she jumped up, her sword in a thrust position by her chest. She got up to eye level with Nick, before he tackled her with a grin. They both started to plummet to the ground and hit it with a good amount of speed. "What in the world?" She said, Nick was laying on top of her, hands spread out. And she realized that her legs were spread, she closed them up and turned to the side. Nick rolled off and sighed.

"Sorry sorry." He waved his hand. "Didn't mean for that to happen."

"It's fine…" Diana blushed a little. She composed himself and turned to face him, a devious idea came across her mind and she walked over to him. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she brought her lips to his ear. "But why did you roll off?"

Nick's face turned crimson and he started fiddling with his hands. He was stuttering like an idiot and racing to come up with an idea. _'Damn it! I know it's a trick! But why am I so embarrassed?'_

"Don't tell me you're… _embarrassed_?" She cooed. Her seductive tone sent shivers up Nick's spine. "Ni…cky…kun?"

Nick took a deep breath and his face turned a normal color. "Not any more." He smirked. The color from Diana's face faded.

'_Shit! He's calmed down!'_ Diana knew she couldn't beat him in a straight fight. (Unless she didn't want to hold back, but that would blow her cover.) Diana smiled softly and her hand trailed down Nick's chest. His face scrunched up and he looked away again. "You're embarrassed again Nicky-kun."

"That's a dirty trick." Nick whispered.

"Well I'm feeling kind of dirty." Diana said. _'God… doing this to a 15 year old, I DO feel dirty.'_

"You must…" Diana's hand gripped tighter and Nick's face reddened. "Really hate losing huh?"

"Yeah… I _really_ do." She smiled. "Are you gonna give up now? Or do I have to coax you a little more?" She started to think. _'I know his weakness is sexual contact, but all guys are like that… let's test his willpower.'_

"Hehe… try me." Nick smiled. Diana's eyebrow twitched and she gripped a little tighter. Nick's eyebrow counter twitched and he smiled. He picked up his hand and placed it on her inner thigh. "Although, I'm not _too_ inexperienced…"

"You wouldn't." Diana's eyes narrowed.

**Ok before this gets M rated, let's switch view points**

---

Nanashi looked past a tree. "Damn it, I don't see either of them.

Rob looked around and then suddenly stopped. "Wait… did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Nanashi looked back to the 14 year old. He strained himself and he heard a slight yell. It was really faint, he wouldn't have heard it if he wasn't trying. "Huh?"

"C'mon, let's go." Rob started to walk. As the two got closer, the yell got louder, and with each step, the color from both their faces drained.

"Oh!" The moan echoed between the trees.

"You don't think?" Robert looked to Nanashi.

"Nick-kun? Nahhhh… he would never cheat on Kira-chan… would he?"

"Oh dear god that tickles!"

"Err… maybe he's just… tickling her?" Robert scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah… of course… he's tickling her."

"OH!!!" The moan was literally being screamed.

"Ok, let's do Rock-Paper-Scissors. Loser goes to check it out." Nanashi suggested.

"Yeah sure…" Rob threw paper and Nanashi threw scissors, Rob cursed his luck and started to walk. The moans got louder and louder with every step, sending shivers up Rob's spine, he even thought about jumping off a nearby cliff at the thought of breaking the news to Kira that Nick was cheating on her while she was having MAJOR PMS.

---

"I WANT ICE CREAM!" Kira yelled back at the picnic site.

"WE DON'T HAVE ICE CREAM!" Samantha started to yell back. The two girls started resorting to slaps to solve this argument, Catherine circling around them in a panic.

"STOP IT! STOP IT PLEASE!"

---

"OH GOD! NICK-KUN!" Diana yelled. Rob's body was shaking tremendously as he peeked around the tree, but still… he saw nothing.

'_Damn that woman can scream.'_ Rob thought.

"OHHH!" The yells were suddenly silenced; Rob heard rustles and finally curses.

"OH SHIT! Are you ok Diana? Diana? Diiiana?" Nick's voice was heard. Rob started to run as fast as he could towards Nick. He started to panic about what happened, he took one step, and suddenly he found himself plummeting to the ground. "ROB?" Nick yelled as he ran over to him. Rob opened his eyes to find himself in a giant crater, a red faced Nick hovering over him, and a passed out Diana with a liquid soaking through her pants.

"Ugg… what happened here?" Rob asked.

"Rob, that's a conversation we'll have many years from now, and trust me, that day will involve alcohol, lots and lots of alcohol." Nick chuckled as he walked over to Diana and hoisted her over his shoulders. "For now, all you need to know is that I did not cheat on Kira-hime."

"Err… ok." Rob arched an eyebrow.

"Oh and if she asks." Nick pointed to Diana's face, which looked dazed but satisfied. "Tell her I won."

---

**Hehe… sorry, but I just wanted to do something outlandish with those two, it just makes the couple seem so wrong but so amusing.**

**P.S. No I will not tell you what Nick really did, if you can't figure it out, you don't deserve to know.**

---

Nick walked up to the rest of the girls with Rob and Nanashi next to him, he carried Diana on his shoulder and smiled and waved at the three. When they got closer, he realized that Kira and Samantha were all bruised and Catherine had several bandages on.

"Uhh… are you ok?" He asked. Kira immediately burst into tears and hugged Nick.

"I'M SORRY NICKY-KUN!" She started to sob on his shirt. Nick's eyes grew wide at this and backed off a little.

"Uh… it's ok… really…" He sweat dropped. Kira's vein bulged and the tears stopped immediately.

"WHY ARE YOU CARRYING DIANA-TEME LIKE THAT?" She yelled. "YOU NEVER CARRY ME LIKE THAT, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?"

"What in the hell? You never ask me to carry you! In fact… you hate it!" Nick yelled back.

"AND WHY IS SHE PASSED OUT?" Kira gasped and stepped back. "Don't tell me… YOU KNOCKED HER OUT AND RAPED HER!"

Nick suddenly stiffened, the rest of the party started staring at him, as if looking for an answer. "I uh… of course not! What urm would make you think I d-did?"

"Onii-san? What's rape?" Catherine asked innocently. Nanashi opened his fat mouth and Nick shut it for him… _violently._

"NOT A WORD!" He yelled at the blonde whose head was currently stuck in the ground.

"YOU DID! YOU DID RAPE HER!" Kira yelled. "MY BOYFRIENDS A CHEATING RAPIST!" She started to run around a nearby tree like a maniac. Nick sighed and raised his hand.

"Andarta, it's time to call it a day." He sighed. The ÄRM glowed brightly and seven were taken away in a green flash.

---

Diana mumbled a little before opening her eyes slowly. The light hit her eyes and she immediately closed them. "Too bright." She muttered.

"Oh thank god you're ok." Nick sighed from beside her. Diana opened her eyes and looked to him, and sighed a little.

"How long was I out?" Diana blinked. "And for that matter, what happened?" Her eyes shot open. She rubbed her temples. "Oh wow, you are too bold."

"You were out a good 3 hours." Nick laughed. "Good timing too, Kira-hime just passed out, turns out her 'period' was really Nanashi sneaking a little spice in her sandwich for _my_ enjoyment."

Diana's eyes glazed over. "How did you _get so good at that_?" She asked. Nick crashed to the floor.

"ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?"

"Well, I think we can guess you have more will power than I do." Diana chuckled.

"Not really, you see after we got here I had to go ov-." Nick started. Diana sighed and waved him off.

"I don't wanna hear _that._" She groaned.

---

Phantom tapped his fingers on Diana's throne, he liked it, the solid gold seating made it stiff, but the cushions more than made up for it.

"She should have called me by now." Phantom pouted. "ROLAN!" He yelled. Rolan zipped into the room outta NOWHERE and saluted him, a rook earring dangled from his ear lobe.

"YES SIR!" He yelled. Phantom sighed and rubbed his temples.

"How are the barracks?" He sighed.

"Full capacity."

"The dorms?"

"Clean and tidy."

"The rest of the Chess?"

"Well, besides the absence of our Queen…" Phantom sighed. "All the pawns are in their rooms and the others are either training or sleeping in their dorms."

"Well then, now that we figured all that out, we can now assess." Phantom started. "THAT WE NOTHING TO DO!" A ring came from the throne; Phantom excitedly tapped his finger again to see an image of Diana pop up on a screen. He shooed Rolan away and faced the dazed pink-haired woman.

"Phantom?" She squinted.

"Diana?" He asked. "What happened to you?"

"Oh a mind blowing o- THAT'S NOT THE POINT!" Diana yelled. "I'm here to tell you that _now's_ the time."

"Yes!" Phantom grinned. "We will attack the thieves guild _at dawn._"

"No no… dawn's not long enough for me to sleep it off, attack at noon." Diana asked. Phantom sweatdropped.

"Ok then… _noon._" He said before tapping the throne. He started to think and then got off the throne and walked off. "Maybe the Queen has found a King…"

---

**A/N: Hehe… sorry, I'm going through girlfriend withdrawal so I'm getting pent up… err… affectionate energy for lack of a more correct word.**

**Anyways, I got a DJ job for a guy doing a podcast thing, he really likes my stuff so he's piling the work on me I CAN HANDLE IT THOUGH! THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO WHEN I SET MY MIND TO IT!**

**Except my homework… I can never set my mind to that TT**

**P.S: I FINALLY GOT MY INTERNET UP! NO MORE HACKING COMPUTER NETWORKS FOR ME! YAHOOOOOO!**

**IM me or e-mail me or review me or SOMETHING PEOPLE!**

**RECAP:**

**-Nick was beating Diana because she had to hold back**

**-Diana figured out Nick was sensitive to sexual contact.**

**-Nick found out so was she**

**-Kira was drugged by Nanashi for Nick to have 'fun' with her… he didn't find out until she was sober.**

**-Chess pieces will attack the Thieves Guild at noon.**


	10. Chapter 10

"Really?" Diana laughed. "Just like that?"

"Just like that." Nick smiled. "Funny, I haven't told anyone else that story before."

"I can see why." Diana smiled back. "So what happened after?"

"Well of course my parents thought I was missing or something, so they start _yelling and yelling_ my name and I'm stuck in the cabinet wondering 'Oh dear SHIT!'" Diana laughed out loud. "So they call my sister and her friend, and I'm still stuck in the cabinet while they rush to get dressed and help them. So they finally get out and I'm out of the room and thank god I did at that moment because my sister was coming back."

"Wow…" Diana rubbed her temples as she sat in the bed. "Who knew that a simple fight could make us such great friends?"

"My life's weird like that."

"So anyways… what about your parents?"

"You mean right now?" Nick sighed. "Well I guess they miss me, but they'll live." Nick rubbed the back of his head. "Although, I wish I could go back and tell them good bye like I wanted to."

"I still can't believe you're from another world." Diana lied. "But that would explain how powerful you are, for your age… wow."

"Yeah, I'm just awesome like that." Nick counter-lied. _'It's that damn orb.'_

"So… what do we talk about now?" Nick scratched the back of his head.

"Are you _sure_ that you're a v-"

"YES I AM!" Nick fumed.

"But then how did you l-"

"That's my business." Nick huffed.

"Did you wa-" Nick face exploded in red and Diana pointed at him. "I KNEW IT!"

"Shut up it's normal in my world!" Diana arched an eyebrow. "There's this thing called the Internet where people can post videos or pictures of ya' know."

"Oh that's just disgusting."

**Ok no more perversion.**

"Meh…" Nick looked away. Suddenly, a loud rumble shook the building. Nick looked outside the window to see the entrance to the Thieves Guild under attack. "Shit! Who the hell are they?"

"Crap we gotta help!" Diana said. She attempted to get up but fell down. "I STILL CAN'T MOVE DAMN YOU!"

"Stop complaining!" Nick spat back. He kicked the door open and started banging on doors. "WAKEY WAKEY! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" Nanashi busted his door down in his boxers and started yelling.

"GALIAN!" He yelled. The boss walked around the corner with a lance.

"Nanashi-san! Here!" He threw the lance to Nanashi and he caught it. "It's called the Griffin Lance, and here Nick." He threw him a katana. "Sorry, it's the best I could do."

"It'll be fine, just tell everyone to stay away from the entrance for a few moments." Nick ran down the hallway in his shirt and pants from the day before. "Nanashi! Wake everyone up!"

"What in the hell is going on?" Samantha walked out of the door in a tank top and boxers with monkeys on them. Catherine walked out behind her with a pair of shorts and a big shirt on.

"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK DAMN IT!" The two girl's eyes shot wide open and they rushed off.

Galian sighed. "I got some weapons for the other two so I'll get them." Galian kicked open Kira's door to find her getting dressed, she screamed and Galian threw her a ÄRM and ran across the hall and kicked Rob's door in to see Robert currently drooling on his pillow. "WAKE THE HELL UP!" He threw a sword ÄRM in his face and ran.

---

Nick's rage increased as he jumped to the entrance, a blue robe and black mask melted over his clothes, the mask showed an angry expression as he activated Battle Crater and sent all the Chess Pieces into a hole. He then jumped in and starting hacking away at all the pawns.

Catherine and Samantha stood dumbstruck at the edge of the hole, they watched as Nick zipped in and out of groups of pawns and sliced all of them to bits.

"Onii-san's scary when he's angry." Catherine shivered.

"Damn straight." Samantha stared wide-eyed.

Nick spun to his left and the pawn fell to the ground, he sliced through the pawn's back and flipped over the pawn stabbing at him. He landed and leaned forward, dodging an incoming stab and kicking the pawn behind him.

"Too slow!" He yelled, he brought his foot up and leaned sideways, kicking the pawn square in the crotch. The pawn keeled back before standing up straight. "Oh damn you're a woman." Nick then raised his eyebrows.

"TAKE THIS!" The woman yelled as she charged with her sword. Nick leaped back and jumped out of the crater.

"Jeez… what a bitch." Nick pouted. Kira came out of the building with her tight red T-shirt on and her blue jeans. Nick turned around and took his mask off. "Sam-chan? Could you take Cat-chan elsewhere?"

"Uh-oh, Nick's getting frisky." Samantha rolled her eyes. Nick smiled.

"I just like that T-shirt." Nick stuck his tongue out.

"I'M READY!" Rob jumped out of the second story window with a pair of ripped jeans and a big T-shirt. Broadsword in hand, he drove it into a nearby pawn. "What's up?"

"Kira-chan, don't get into this ok?" Nick smiled softly before giving her a quick peck on the cheek. He put his mask back on and jumped back in.

"I'm in!" Nanashi yelled. He and Galian stood on top of the building with similar smirks on. "Griffin Lance!" He jumped down as Galian cast an Electric Eye blast on several pawns.

"To hell I'm staying out of this!" She activated her ÄRM, under a mist, the shape of a large shield appeared in front of her.

"Kira-san? What happened?"

"You don't see it?" She waved her wrist around. Samantha shook her head.

"It's called the Ghost Shield! I knew Nick would want me to give you that particular ÄRM." Galian smiled as he jumped into the fray. Kira ran over and jumped in the crater.

"My turn!" Samantha smiled. Her trident summoned itself into her hand and she yelled to Nick: "Bet I can kill more of them than you can!"

"I'll take that necklace of yours if you don't!" A voice echoed through the crater.

"Deal!" She smirked._ 'It's half broken anyways.'_ "Guardian ÄRM: Guardian Angel!" A kimonoed girl with long black hair and a masked face appeared above the fray.

"Let's go!" The girl pulled out a kunai and flew down into the hole. Samantha jumped in after her.

"Hehe… Onii-san! You better watch me!" Catherine yelled. She summoned her one tailed fox and angel companion and leaped into the crater.

---

Nick punched another pawn in the face. He was exhausted, but that was the last one. The rest of his friends panted and wheezed around him. They had all lost track of time in the fight, but by the stars, they were sure it was nighttime now.

"Very good Nick-kun!" A chilling voice came from around him. His eyes narrowed and he pulled his mask off.

"Phantom…" He chuckled. "You wanna throw more lackeys at me?"

"It's definitely a possibility, but I'm actually here, for your new friend." Nick arched an eyebrow. Then a smash in a window behind him, he turned to see Phantom flying out with Diana in his arms. He landed in front of him and smirked. "Let her go."

"Oh… so serious." Phantom smiled at him widely. "But I think you look scarier with that cursed mask on."

'_He knows it's cursed.'_ Nick's eyes widened. "I'll give you one more warning. Give. Her. Back."

"You're not as powerful as you were last time we fought, could it be that mask amplifies your powers?" Phantom's lips curled into a creepy smile. "I think I finally understand."

"You have 5 seconds." Nick squinted.

"The first version of the Gatekeeper Clown, was supposed to transport the user to another world." Phantom shook his head slowly. "But instead, it transported its creator into a gateway. Someone with enough inner power… to hold his spirit…"

"What are you talking about?" Nick backed off a little. Realizing his body language was showing fear; he straightened and looked at him angrily.

"A kid… who could hold another spirit in his body, without going insane by the constant images. A kid, who has lost emotion." Phantom's eyes widened and his magical power exploded. "You hold Kaldea's first elder! The creator of the Gatekeeper Clown in your very soul!"

Nick suddenly flew back by a certain force and rolled over on the floor. When he got up, he saw the little boy in his mind. He raised his sword and Nick blocked the incoming strike.

"And just being around someone with close ties to Kaldea, he can be set free." Phantom smiled as an invisible force swung at Nick and missed.

"Damn it!" Nick ducked and punched the boy in the stomach, he fell over and Nick kicked him across the crater. "Give me back Diana!" Nick ran at him with his katana in hand. Nick then felt a loud rumble from behind him, he looked behind him and a giant ice ball was flying at him. He sliced it and raised his hand, he put his magical energy into it, but no fire would form. "DAMN IT!"

"You're hopeless!" The boy yelled as he shot another rock at him. Nick ducked it and took an ÄRM from the body of a pawn.

"I hate grave robbing, but I hope this works!" Nick slid the ring on. He raised his hand and ran to the side. A giant five bladed shuriken came into his hand and his smiled. "Perfect!" He jumped up in the air and threw the shuriken at the boy. The boy smiled and threw another ice rock at it, Nick flew down and rammed his sword into the separation of the blades. He pushed it through the ball and grabbed the shuriken, he landed and jumped at the boy with the shuriken in hand, the boy was caught off guard and stepped back, getting cut on his shirt, Nick stepped forward and sliced at him and cut off some of his hair. He thrust his outstretched elbow into his face, the boy staggered and he threw the shuriken, it embedded itself into his chest and Nick ran at him.

Nick friends stared in awe as he jumped up and kicked the boy in the face, he got down and thrust the sword in the boy's throat, blood spurted out from the invisible figure, it became visible when it touched Nick's robe. He took out the shuriken and kicked him in the open wound. The boy smirked. "You're foot's stuck in my stomach."

"You under estimate how flexible I am." Nick smilded wickedly. He brought his foot back and brought it up. The boy came with it and he did a jump crossing kick in the air. He slammed the boy into the floor and then spun around to deliver another kick, the boy flew off and tumbled across the crater.

"What the hell are you fighting Nick-kun?" Samantha yelled.

"My evil side." Nick smiled wickedly. "If you can't tell, he doesn't make up for much." He ran forward and dodged an incoming dirt ball. Nick then jumped lightly and skidded the ground below him, which spiked up. "C'mon kid! Don't tell me you can't use anything I haven't imagined?"

"I haven't done anything yet." The boy got up and rubbed his hand on his stomach, the cut healed instantly and he snapped his fingers, the blood that splattered on Nick formed needles on his body. The boy snapped again and the needles thrust themselves into his body. He cringed and gave a yelp.

"I remember that, it was a torture technique I came up with when I was watching a horror movie." Nick smiled. "But don't tell me… that's the only thing you can remember?"

"Why is Onii-san bleeding?" Samantha asked. She shook the dumbfounded Samantha. "WHY IS ONII-SAN BLEEDING?"

"Cat-chan! Look away!" Nick commanded, the little kid refused. "LOOK AWAY DAMN IT!" The kid stared for a moment, suddenly, two giant hands made of sand appeared and slammed together on Nick.

"ONII-SAN!" Catherine yelled out.

"HAHAHAHA! You weakling!" The boy laughed deeply.

"Boom." A small voice came from the makeshift grave. Suddenly the hands blew up into small rock missiles. Nick set foot on the ground, blood oozing through to his robe and his face beat up and bruised. "Oh you definitely asked for this."

--- 

**A/N: OMFG! Nick's pissed now!**

**Well anyways, that's the story behind the boy and his meaning, which will later tie into Nick's relationship with the CURRENT elder.**

**Anyways… new MySpace for my music and such, just add a djnickkun to the end of it. And you'll see a very cute picture of me! With a gray undershirt and shaggy hair-do…**

**Yeah, I'm definitely heavy on combing my hair during the summer (rolls eyes)**


	11. Chapter 11

Nick spat on the ground and returned his katana to its ring form.

"You gonna beat me with your bare hands?" The boy smirked, his yellow eyes glowed through his hair.

Nick's mask materialized into his hand, he brought his up and stared into its blank, black surface. "You stopped me from dying that day." He looked up and smiled. "In turn, you gave me more power than I could imagine, without even trying."

The boy arched an eyebrow. "What's your point kid?"

"I wanna see what would happen if I really wanted to exert some effort." Nick gave him an evil look. "You will no longer haunt me, because I'm going to kill you."

"What is Nick fighting?" Kira's eyes widened. She watched as he shield started to shimmer brightly. She brought it up and she saw the boy clearly through the transparent ÄRM. She watched as the sand began to circle both of them, suddenly the sand started to sink. "NICK!" She jumped up and ran at him. Nick's eyes widened and he threw away the mask. Suddenly the boy and the sand slowed down. Nick looked back and then grinned widely. Nick then ran over to the mask and threw it through a nearby window, the boy suddenly froze and the sand stopped completely.

"Timeout, kid." He laughed. Kira ran up to him and panted a little. "Don't worry, I got him stopped for the time being."

"What was the sand doing?" Kira asked.

"What is Kira-chan talking about?" Nanashi asked.

"It's a transporting technique I thought of one day. The sand will engulf the two and create a bigger arena in the earth. But since he can use techniques by my imagination, you guys can't see it." Nick frowned.

"But you can, and this shield can." She raised up the shield and smiled.

"Kira-hime…" Nick smiled. "I want you to stay out of this, I'll take care of the kid and P-" He looked over to see Phantom was gone. "MOTHER FU-"

"No cussing!" She slapped him in the side. Nick sighed and looked to Kira.

"I'm gonna stop Phantom, and I gotta take care of little sonuvabitch jr. over here." Nick smiled. "I want you to stay at Sam-chan's house, take Nanashi-san with you. And stay safe ok?"

"What in the hell are you talking about? How are you gonna stop Phantom?" Kira frowned.

"He said something about Kaldea…" Nick kept a straight face. "Maybe I'll get some answers there."

"Kaldea?" Kira looked to Nanashi, who got up and started raving.

"KALDEA? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET THERE? IT'S A GOD FORSAKEN ISLAND OFF THE COAST! IT'S A MAGICAL COUNTRY THAT IS IMPENETRABLE BY NORMAL MEANS!" Nanashi yelled. Nick sighed and looked to Kira.

"Kira-hime, I know for a fact that if you stay with me that you'll get in trouble with Phantom-teme." Nick smiled. "And I don't want _two_ hostages on his side."

"Nick-kun!" She yelled. Nick gave her a soft smiled and wrapper his arms around her waist, he turned his head to the side and his eyes looked half closed.

"Just remember I love you ok?" Nick leaned down and kissed Kira on the forehead. Kira stared at him and then pouted.

"I'm coming with you." Kira said sternly. Nick brought his face to her level and smiled knowingly.

"No your not." Nick's nose touched hers and he gave her a similar look. "Because your too grumpy."

"Don't talk to me like that." Kira pouted. Nick backed his face off a little and turned it to the side again, he brought his face in a kissed her lightly on the lips. He brought his face back and then looked at her for a brief moment.

"You don't have any shame do you?" She groaned. "Kissing me in front of a 10 year old."

"You let me." Nick rebutted. He looked back to see the boy giving a face of annoyance. "And I got time to spare before I go." Nick looked over to the group of his friends and Samantha covered Catherine's eyes.

"Your face has some blood on it." Kira looked away. Nick wiped his face and kissed Kira on the neck. "Stop it."

"I don't wanna." Nick gave her a butterfly kiss on her neck and she pulled away.

"Stop, that one felt weird." Kira looked away with a slight blush. Nick's eyebrows shot up and Nanashi rose to his feet again.

"RUN KIRA-CHAN! YOU JUST GAVE HIM AN IDEA!" Nanashi screamed. Nick glomped Kira and both of them fell to the ground. Nick rolled to the side with her and kissed her on the neck again.

"Ah! That tickled!" She yelled. Nick kept his face in the arch of her neck and he kissed her again and again. "Stop it!" She laughed.

"This is almost…" Nanashi sighed. "Anticlimactic isn't it?"

"Lemme see!" Catherine pouted.

"No."

"What is it about those two that seems so cute?" Robert pondered.

"I don't know, but I'm back in fighting shape after that rest so let's take care of the kid eh?"

"Yeah sure." Rob rose to his feet. "Hey Nick-san! Go inside and fool around! We got the kid!"

"Okay! Lemme know if he starts moving again!" Nick smiled. He brought his arms under Kira and picked her up.

"AHH!" Kira screamed. "I hate it when you pick me up!"

"Too bad." Nick smiled as he sailed through the air and smashed through a window.

"Damn." Rob said as he took out a sword.

"A little rash I think." Nanashi smiled.

---

"Ok seriously stop." Kira said as she backed off. Nick sighed and sat on his bed.

"Ok ok sorry." He lay down on the bed. He patted next to him and Kira lay down in the spot. Nick brought her up and laid her head on his chest, his arms wrapped around her.

"Are you seriously going to go?" She asked.

"Yeah, I gotta get Diana-chan back." Nick sighed. "And if I don't get rid of Phantom, he'll take over this world."

"Oh…" Was all Kira said, he looked up to him with sad eyes. "Nick? Can you promise me something?"

"Anything." Nick smiled.

"Don't get yourself killed." Kira smiled awkwardly. Nick leaned over and kissed her on her forehead.

"I promise." Nick hugged her tightly. "Can I get a kiss now?"

"No." Kira chuckled.

"That's mean, you know, there's always a chance I _could_ die." Kira frowned and looked away. "Oh you're just mean spirited."

"I'm just kidding." Kira turned around and kissed him on the lips. Nick wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her deeper into it. She patted his back and he pulled off. An awkward silence followed and Kira stared at him in disbelief.

"What?"

"Why'd you stop?" Kira asked.

"You err. Patted me on the back."

"I was trying to tell you to not pull me in too much." She squinted angrily.

"Ok let's try this again." Nick chuckled as he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. Kira grabbed his hand and leaned in a little more. After a few moments, they pulled apart and smiled at each other. "You've been getting more affectionate lately."

"You've been attracting me more lately." Kira admitted with a chuckle.

"So what do you like about me?" He asked as he pressed his nose to hers.

"I have no idea." Nick chuckled and kissed her lightly.

"Well… do you know what I like about you?"

"What?" She rolled her eyes.

"Everything." Kira blushed a little and sat up. "Kira-hime?"

"Nick-kun?" Kira looked back a little. "Do you really think you'll love me forever?"

Nick paused for a second. Kira looked away and Nick scratched his cheek.

"You don't… do you?"

"Kira-hime…" Nick sighed. "I don't believe anything truly lasts forever. I can love you, as long as you're you." He walked next to her and sat down, Kira put her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. "I will love you until I die, and if god permits. Then even longer, I may not always love you as the angel you are. But I will always love you as a friend regardless."

"You're confusing to me sometimes." Kira sighed.

"Kira, you're one of my best friends, you have knowledge of things that the rest of the world has literally pried my life open to find. You're the only one that knows about what I was like." He looked down. "You're the only one that has seen the extend of my temper, you're the only one… whose had to talk me out of suicide." He then smiled slightly. "If after all that information and all the changes I've gone through, if I'm not confusing to you, then you're hella confusing to me."

"Nick…" She mumbled.

"I love you Kira."

"I love you too Nick."

---

That morning, Nanashi and Rob walked in on Kira and Nick sleeping. Nick had his arm protectively wrapped around Kira and Kira held his hand tightly. Nanashi and Rob decided to not tell Nick that the boy had faded when they attempted to kill him. And they left a little note with a Phantom chibi on it on the nightstand.

---

_Dear Nick-kun,_

_I'm sure you want to save Diana badly right now, I can tell by how much she knows about you that you're close. And I can tell by how she takes torture, that she's waiting for you to rescue her._

_As a kind and noble opponent, I have decided to help you get in to Kaldea. As a token of faith, I've arranged a contact for you, meet the contact near the castle you and Kira spent most of you're last date in. The one you met me in, same room, and same time._

_As one of your favorite 'movie' villains would say: "I want to play a game, Nick-kun"_

_So the rules of this game are simple: You have one week to find me and save Diana, or by noon next week, I will have killed her, you can kill anyone of my troops you need to, to get to me, in fact; I encourage it!_

_Also as that villain would say: "Live or die, make your choice." Or in this case, make Diana's choice._

_Phantom._

---

Nick crumpled the letter as he looked out of the broken window. He looked back regrettably and kissed Kira on the forehead quickly. He then grabbed his mask out of the thin air and leapt out of the window.

"I'm coming Diana-chan." Nick said quietly.

---

Diana watched Nick run away from the building with a wicked smile on her face.

"Do you think he's smart enough?" Phantom asked. "To be able to find us?"

"He's very smart, his intelligence is very high according to my little tests. He can take situations and come up with very unique, and oftentimes very appropriate solutions." Diana gave a crooked smile. "But the beauty of it is, as time runs out, he will start to panic, and he will think less and less, making him easy to trap."

"So all we have to do is wait." Phantom smiled from beside Diana's throne.

"I wonder, who was this contact you wrote about in your letter?" Diana asked.

"Just a pawn that I want to accompany him." Phantom smiled. "A very promising young lady by the name of Winny."

"Interesting choice, I hear she's very temperamental." Diana chuckled. "A perfect match for Nick's antics."

"Well, if all turns out well. They can both be put to good use when we start the War Games, and if Nick plays he role well." Phantom walked away. "They will both take their jobs, to their graves."

---

**PRE ENDING COMMENTS:**

**Hey Erin! Peeaaaaanuuut-channnn!**

**---**

**THE INTRODUCTION OF WINNY-CHAN! I've been waiting to put her in the story for a while, god I miss working with a crazy lady.**

**Winny: You're a bastard.**

**Nick: Yeah well, you're ugly.**

**Nanashi: Grab her!**

**(Winny tries to scratch Nick to death but Nanashi and the others are holding her back.)**

**Nick: HAW HAW HAW!**

**Seriously though, the next couple updates are gonna be crazzzzy! We'll get to the roots of Winny and Nick's relationship. (Very few roots, seeing as their relationship really started in Defection, which now I see I wrote horribly and very short.)**

**After that we go to Kaldea, and I made a lot of references to that and how it affected both the elder and Nick very much, I have a set plot for that and that's probably the only thing I planned in this entire story. (THAT'S RIGHT! EVERYTHING ELSE WAS ME CHECKING TO MAKE SURE IF IT FIT AND IF IT DID I KEPT IT! WHICH IS WHY THE MASK IS SO CREEPY)**

**Besides that, I'm a freshman in 3 days and considering my orientation today a few girls noticed me so I think it won't be TOO bad. (Let's hope they don't find out about the real Kira.) and the only thing anyone made fun of was my hair covering my left eye, so it might actually turn out ok.**

**REVIEW AND SEND ME SOME LOVE DAMN IT! (IM-ing still works for me too! Madkid254 on AIM! C'mon people!)**


	12. Chapter 12

A shadowy figure sat up in the corner of the ballroom. The robe covered the person's body, but within ripples a delicate womanly body could be seen. She wore the standard white and red pawn mask and had one ring and a chain ÄRM. The chain ÄRM had two magic stones embedded in the blade in the middle of the ÄRM. The ring was blank but had a small light on it. She hid in the shadows of the corner, hoping not to be seen when her contact appeared.

"_Remember, Nick-kun's going to be tempted to kill you at all times because I have Diana. You must always be on guard." _Phantom's words echoed through her mind.

"You're horrible at hiding." A voice came from behind her. She turned around to see a white outline of a wicked smile on a black surface. The figure lifted her by the throat and she activated her sword, it had many thorns in it and had a rose hilt that was blooming on it. Nick held her arm with his other hand and brought her mask to his.

"S-s-stop!" She yelled.

"Are you the contact I have to meet?" The girl choked. "One cough for yes, two for no." She coughed once and held back a second one, Nick dropped her to the floor and she gasped for air. "Do you need anything healed? I won a half-broken Holy ÄRM, it might help if I ruptured your windpipe."

"I'm fine." The girl stood up and brushed herself off. "So you're Nick? Care to take off that mask for an I.D.?"

"No." Nick said. Winny sighed and put her ÄRM away.

"Phantom said you had a temper." She looked away.

"You're walking a fine line, you're one of his lackeys and you probably know where he is." Nick walked in front of her. "Tell me…"

"I am no-"

"_Now._"

"I don't know." The girl huffed. "He said he was changing locations after I left." Nick cracked his knuckles; his mood ring shone a dark black.

"Don't think I'll show any restraint because you're a woman." Nick warned her as he walked forward, it was now it was painfully obvious that the young boy towered over the girl by what seemed like a foot.

"I can sense how powerful you are." The girl stood up and her mask stared at him. Nick's mask animated a look of disgust. "You're only at bishop level. Don't flatter yourself."

Nick brought his hand back and almost back handed her. Then Nick stopped, he put his arm down and put his hand on the girl's mask. He tugged at it and the girl grabbed his hand.

"What are you doing?"

"Let me see your face." Nick pulled her mask off slowly, the girl pulled off her hood shyly to show a determined face. Her face was slightly tanned and had beautiful features; she had stunning aqua eyes and long lashes. Her hair was a jet-black and came down to her shoulders and came down a little before her eyes.

"So?" The girl huffed.

"Your body language says you fear me, but you will not yield. You know your better than that, you think you have something to prove. Maybe it's to Phantom…" Nick started; his mask gave a look of contemplation. "Your eyes tell me that you are afraid that someone will recognize you, maybe you think you've seen this mask before?" Nick then walked back a little. "Or maybe you're afraid that I've heard of you, you're notorious aren't you?"

'_Damn it! How can he tell so much from just looking at me?'_ The girl backed off a little.

"I'm not done." Nick's mask smiled. "You're not very insecure, you feel right in your skin, which leads me to believe you've stopped developing, so you might be in your later teens… eighteen maybe?"

"T-that's right." The girl gulped. 

"You're peeved about you're height." The girl sighed. "And you're inexperienced with guys."

"H-how did yo-"

"You're scraping you're toe against the ground." The girl looked down to see that she was scraping his foot against the ground involuntary. She stopped and stared at him.

"Anything else?"

"You're trustworthy." Nick finally said. "But you're obviously not fond of me, and you'll try to kill me in an instant if you have the chance." He smiled. "What's your name?"

"Winny." She frowned.

"Very well Winny-chan." Nick's face turned blank. "Shall we go to Kaldea?" Winny raised her hand and both of them were whisked away.

---

Nick and Winny landed in the middle of a rural town with children and several adults in witch hats and robes. They all stared at them before backing away slowly.

"Nice spot." Nick said bitterly.

"What makes you say that?" Winny smirked. "Phantom _ordered_ me to take you here."

"I can see why." Suddenly, guards jumped down and surrounded them.

"State your names." One of them stepped forward. Nick kept a blank face on his mask and stepped forward.

"My name is Nick. I'm here to see the elder about the effects of the first testing of an ÄRM you know as the Gatekeeper Clown."

"We do not have any knowledge about that testing." The guard said sternly. "What information do _you_ have?"

"I contain your first leader in my soul." Nick stated. The guard arched an eyebrow and waved his hand. The guards armed themselves with crossbows and swords and Nick took his katana out.

"Let me guess, you're going to run now?" Nick asked Winny. Winny shook her head.

"Phantom-san told me to stay with you. And if I do well, he'll promote me to a Rook." Winny took her sword out and smirked.

"I don't care about your class system but I'll assume promotion is a good thing."

"The girl has lower magical power, attack her first." The guard said, the sound of crossbows being loaded echoed around them.

"You're not that low, you're about the same power as Samantha." Nick mentioned.

"I'll take that as a compliment, but I have a way to get out of this, do you?" Winny asked.

"I need one?" A sadistic smile crept onto Nick's mask.

"Fir-!" The guard started. Nick shot forward and sliced one of the guard's hands off. He screamed in pain and fell to the floor.

"Winny!" Nick yelled. The girl raised her hand and turned into a small ball of light, she shot out of the circle and ended up behind a small crowd. She thrust her sword into one of the shooters and sliced sideways, the thorns in the sword tore apart the men and made it easy for her to move around them while striking. Nick jumped over and landed behind Winny, he kicked an incoming man in the face and then smashed his hilt into his neck, he gasped for air before passing out.

"ATTACK!" The guards yelled. Nick twisted the sword around in his hand by rolling his wrist around, while Winny bit her lip.

"You sound nervous." Nick smiled. "This your first time?"

"_Yeah, so be gentle_." Winny rolled her eyes. "You're such a guy."

"Don't be such a worry wart." Nick slapped Winny on the butt and then jumped into the fray.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?" She yelled.

"A pat on the ass!" Nick rebutted as a group of guards flew into the air.

"Pervert." Winny punched a guard in the face before turning into a ball of light and swerving in between the men, she would turn out of the light form and slice a few men before turning back and flying out of the group.

Nick laughed and grabbed the man's arm, he twisted it and flung him over his back into the other group of men. He then jumped up and threw his mask at a man, it got lodged in his throat and then materialized, blood free, back on his face.

"Normally I suck at aiming, but this mask is cursed so it loves a little blood!" Nick laughed before landing on one of the men and sticking him in the back with his katana. "How are you doing Winny-chan?"

Winny panted a little. She kicked one of the men in the stomach and hit him with the side of her sword; he flew back a little and tumbled over more men. "They have more men than I would think."

Nick smirked. "Do you need a little help? I can take some of the men _off your load_ if you feel a little weighed down."

"I don't like your tone!" She yelled back.

"Yeah but I like this tone!" Nick stabbed a man and he screamed in agony. Winny shivered and Nick pulled the sword out and wiped it on the man's clothes. "Doesn't it _give you chills_?"

"You are so CREEPY!" She yelled as she kicked the last man in the face. Nick walked over to her nonchalantly and his mask smirked.

"It's the mask." Nick smiled. "Good job by the way, I wasn't expecting you to take on that many people."

"Shut… up." She panted. Nick turned around and crouched down. "Eh?"

"I'll give you a piggyback ride if you need it." Winny stomped on his back and kicked him a few times.

"HELL!" She paused as she kicked him again. "NO!" She walked over him to the flying castle. Nick got up and pouted.

"Fine… BE THAT WAY!" Nick stomped forward angrily.

Finally they came to the foot of the giant castle, only not on the same floor.

"I can get up there, how about you?" Winny bragged.

"Are you kidding?" Nick smiled. "I'll be right there, you just wait for me." Nick ran off in a different direction. Winny shrugged and flew up to the castle. She waited for a few minutes before she heard strange noises a little ways off.

"What the?" She wondered.

"THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE HIGHLANDERRRRRRR!" Nick yelled. From the entrance, he stood with a redwood tree trunk in his arms. Winny's jaw dropped to the floor from the example of his strength. "YARRRRRRR!" He yelled as he ran down at impressive speeds to the divot he dug in the ground below the castle. Nick stuck the tree in the divot, and propelled himself into the air with his magical power. Nick then landed gracefully next to Winny.

"How did you? Is that even? WHO IN THE HELL ARE YOU?" Winny yelled.

"I'm the perfect man baby." Nick chuckled as he walked away. "Just kidding! You coming or what?"

---

Nick walked into the doorway and smiled.

"Why'd you stop?" Winny asked.

"Don't move, you're my way outta here and if you die then I'm gonna have to burn this village to the ground just to survive." Nick said sternly.

"Try as you may, I will stop you." A deep voice came from inside the hall.

"I don't feel anything, how can you?" Winny asked.

"You've obviously never smelled the air of someone who's prepared to fight. It's musty and thick with sweat and tension." Nick smiled. "That, and you can't see the axe above us?"

Winny looked up and jumped back; a giant golem with an axe fell from the floor and stared Nick right in the eye.

"I'm guessing for someone to summon someone twenty times my size you must be pretty good, do you cardio or something? Because I could never stand all the panting you must be doing right now." Nick mocked as the golem brought the axe down on him. Nick grabbed it with both hands and forced a smile.

"You will perish for harming my people!"

"I tried to warn them! If you knew I was coming then you must have watched my little intro before I killed them."

"I'll help!" Winny jumped off the axe and punched the golem in the head. The rock beast staggered but stood straight afterwards and brought the axe back again.

"Nice punch, what are you a transsexual?" Nick chuckled.

"You'll find out how good my punch is once we're done here!" Winny yelled.

---

**Bah, my Internet router died on me, so I did two chapters today! **

**Next Chapter Sneak Peek:**

"Really? Since I was 8 huh?" Nick frowned. "So how do we get rid of the little bastard?"

"We have to extract your soul." The elder said solemnly. "But considering my current hospitality, I don't think I'm inclined to do such a thing."

Nick paused for a moment.

"There's a price I have to pay." Nick frowned.

"That's right, did he tell you that?" The elder smiled.

"He said I have to give up the thing I feel strongest about." Nick frowned.

"And what is that thing?"

"I have to give up my-" Nick paused.

**Of course there's more to that sentence but that's the whole twist of the chapter, which explains so much about Kira and Nick's breakup in Defection.**

**Anyways, I'm taking a new approach to Reviews:**

**REVIEW OR I WILL COME TO YOUR HOUSE AND TICKLE YOU UNTIL YOU PISS YOURSELF!**


	13. Chapter 13

**To AnimeGurl: And I love it when you review (arches eyebrow and speaks in a barotone voice.)**

**---**

Winny flipped in the air, dodging the punch from the golem. Nick rushed under it's arm and jumped onto it's head.

"Surprise!" Nick punched it in the head. Giant shockwaves rippled the surface of the golem and it fell to the ground. Nick jumped off it and spit on the floor. "I think I gave it brain damage."

"It doesn't have a brain." Winny rolled her eyes.

"It's called a joke." Nick rushed over and attempted to pound the golem's head in. It lifted its arm and punched Nick's body into the roof. He slammed into it and fell to the ground; Winny caught him and placed him on the floor.

"Damn! Are you all right?" Winny asked.

"Fuck…" Nick spat up some blood and clutched his stomach. "Yeah… I'm fine, just a little woozy."

"You're stomach is bleeding. And wipe the spit out blood off your face." Nick's mask gave a look of contempt. "What? You don't wanna show me your face?"

"No." Winny sighed and looked at the bleeding wound on Nick's stomach. "How well does that ÄRM work?"

"It's healed a fatal wound once before, I think it'll heal this." Nick concentrated his energy into the Healing Angel ÄRM and the bleeding slowly stopped. "I'm good!" Nick put the necklace back on and brandished his sword.

"ALREADY? You just received a serious wound to your stomach!"

"I've fought my best friend evenly with a cold! This is nothing!" Nick pounded his stomach and put his hand out. "But I'd like some help."

"Ass." Winny took his hand and stood up.

"I don't like you either, but as long as Phantom-baka sent you to help me I'll take him up on that offer!" Nick charged the golem, who swung his axe at him. Nick ducked it and jumped up into the sky. The golem attempted to punch him again, but Nick slammed his fist into the stone hand, crumbling it. Nick's hand bled a little and he blew on it as a futile effort to ease the pain.

"STOP HURTING YOURSELF!" Winny yelled.

"Why do you care?" Nick's mask smiled. "You're helping me, but we're still enemies, right?"

"YOU'RE CONFUSING ME!" Winny clutched her head.

"I'M A CONFUSING GUY!"

"YOU'RE AN IDIOT!"

"You're short." Nick mumbled. Winny's hair frizzed up as her eyes gained a new flame. She ran after Nick with her sword and he mocked her as he ran away.

"COME BACK HERE!"

"NO!" Nick yelled. The golem brought it's axe up. "Damn it!" He dove backwards and accidentally ran into Winny, they tumbled away from the axe and landed a few feet away. "Are you ok?" He asked, blood dripped from his mouth slowly as he spoke.

"Nick you're bleeding, stop being stubborn and let's go!" Winny scolded.

"No."

"STOP SAYING NO ALL THE TIME!" She yelled. Nick tilted his mask sideways to only show his mouth and a little of his right eye. Winny stared a little as he mouthed the word 'no' and put the mask back on right, it showed a face of displeasure as he turned around and wiped the blood coming down his neck.

"Ok buddy boy!" Nick yelled. "I'm getting Diana back whether you want me too or NOT!" He ran forward and twisted his wrist, his sword turned and rested on the back of his arm sideways, he put his arm out to the side so his blade was easily accessible from the position. The golem punched at him and he jumped up onto the arm, he ran up the stone arm for a while and twisted his wrist again, his sword came down and skidded against the rock of the guardian slightly, he smiled and jumped over to its shoulder. He backhanded it and it fell to the floor, he shot down and thrust it sword into the crack of its arm, he fell forward on it and the arm popped off easily, he shot off towards its other arm and grabbed the axe from it bare hand. He jumped up with the axe and brought it down on the golem's head.

"U-unreal." Winny stuttered. Nick fell to the floor and coughed a little. More blood fell from his chin as he now walked forward.

"Diana?" The elder asked. "You couldn't mean."

"Yeah you know, big boobs, pink hair." Nick said mockingly as he walked down the stairway and faced the older man, he had a black beard and his eyes had piecing hazel eyes.

"She left our island a while ago, and she took many ÄRM with her, she is a criminal to us." The elder said.

"Well she's my friend." Nick's mask gave a neutral look. "And I'm not letting her die."

"Well then, that's very noble of you." The elder mocked him.

"It's a curse, if you're my friend, I tend to get very protective." Nick smiled a little.

"Well then… who has kidnapped her?"

"A man who controls a massive army called the Chess Pieces, a man named Phantom."

"Hmm…" The elder closed his eyes. "I sense you want to stop Phantom."

"Yes…. Yes I do." Nick said firmly.

"Very well, I will help you." The elder smiled. "What was it you said about my grandfather though?"

"He resides in my soul." Nick mentioned. "I want to know how I get him out."

"Hmm…" The elder frowned deeply. "It depends how long he's had to merge with your soul." He put his hand over Nick's head and frowned deeply. "Get some rest, you'll need it to survive tomorrow."

"Yes sir." The elder pointed to a door and then to another door.

"Go into the left one to get some ÄRM's, you'll need those too." Nick's mask arched an eyebrow but he walked over and opened the door, a small orb was there and magic seemed to circle around it. "It will read your power and give you an appropriate ÄRM." Nick sighed.

"Ladies first." He said as he backed away to let Winny it, she slapped his stomach and he cringed in pain.

"Oh get over it." She stuck her hand in the orb absent-mindedly and a bracelet appeared on her wrist. "Snazzy." **(The bracelet is Overgrown Meadow if you remember the ARM)**

"Ok my turn!" Nick yelled. He stuck his hand in and a ring and a bracelet appeared on his hand. **(He received Fantasia and Dozing Kitsune.) **"Nice, I can't wait to try these out."

"You're name is Nick correct?" The elder asked. Nick nodded. "He plans to fight you again, he says he's looking forwards to it."

"Nick?" Winny asked.

"Well then, I'm already injured… maybe he can beat me this time." Nick flicked his mask and an explosion of light came out of the white outlines. From the mask, the boy jumped out and faced Nick with a giant sword in his arms.

"Who the hell is that?" Winny asked.

"You can see him then… the magic here must be very powerful." Nick smiled.

"Hey Nick-_kun_." The boy said mockingly. "Are you gonna take off the mask this time?"

"I don't feel like it."

"Nick… is that the elder?"

"I suspect when he died he reverted to a younger form, but yeah that's him." Nick smiled.

"God I hate that mask." The boy spat on the ground. "It's so lifeless, it makes me sick."

"You created it, in fact… you saved my life with it." Nick smirked.

"And because of that, you gave me life." The boy smiled wickedly, he put the sword in the ground. It towered over him by two feet and made him look even smaller than he was. "And you slowly regained your feelings."

"I already had feelings." Nick frowned. "It was your madding voice that drove me near insanity."

"Did you like my mind games? I loved whispering words of nonsense into the mind of a tortured young boy."

"He… talked to you?" Winny asked.

"I always kept it to myself because I thought I was insane." Nick frowned. "But he used to say random things during the night to keep me up and make me worry. Nothing like a monstrous voice whispering 'hungry' to you in the middle of the night to keep you up."

The boy charged with his sword and Nick pulled out his katana, they blocked each other and immediately jumped back.

"Let's try this!" Nick recognized his new ÄRM and smiled. "Guardian ÄRM: Dozing Kitsune!" He yelled, from a ball of light, a small 7-tailed fox appeared on Nick's neck with sharp tails.

"Seven tails?" Winny asked.

"It shows how much mental stability the user has, the more they can concentrate, the more tails the fox will produce, up to nine of course." The elder frowned. "But the ÄRM can take so much out of one person that they can't make coherent thoughts."

"Ugg… damn, how does Catherine do it?" Nick panted. He stood up straight and charged with his sword. The boy brought his down and the fox blocked it naturally with all seven tails, Nick ducked and stabbed his sword in front of him, the boy jumped back and used his sword to stop his momentum. Nick smiled and ran at him, the boy twisted his sword and swung it around him in a circle, a giant gust of wind surrounded him and Nick gritted his teeth as he ran through it. Nick eventually jumped up and brought his sword down on the boy's huge weapon. The boy smiled sadistically.

"Nick!" Winny yelled. She slid under Nick's legs and brought her sword up to the boy's neck.

"Nice move."

"Nice _boxers_." She mocked him.

"You can't _see_ my boxers." Nick rolled his eyes.

"Damn, I thought I'd get you." Winny smiled as she brought the sword back and blood spilled from the boy's neck. "Straight for the jugular." She smiled. The boy staggered back before wiping the blood on his hand on his pants.

"Clever." He spat. "But you can't kill me like that."

"Be gone demon!" The elder yelled. He raised his hand and the boy suddenly dropped to the floor with his hands over his ears. He slowly flickered and then disappeared from sight.

"Cool move." Nick smiled. The elder smirked and then raised his hand.

"He won't bother you for a few days, get some rest." The elder waved his hand and a door opened to reveal one bed that was connected to a bathroom in the back.

"I'm not sharing a bed with _him_." Winny protested. The elder waved his hand again and the bed split into two equally sized beds. "Much better."

"Don't try and kill me while I'm sleeping ok?" Nick said as he walked up to the door. He took off his mask and threw it onto one of the beds. Winny rushed up to try and see behind the hood, but Nick closed the bathroom door before she could get in front of him.

"Damn it." She cursed.

"Oh, it's a bathhouse kind of setting, you can come in." Nick unlocked the door. Winny burst in to get s glance of Nick with a towel around his waist, and the back of his head before he closed his bath up.

"DAMN IT!" She yelled.

"What? Did you trip?" Nick asked. Winny grumbled a no and got undressed before walking into her bath.

When Winny was done, she walked out of her bath and out of the room with a towel on, she opened the door to see Nick was already asleep under the covers, the pillow covered his head and only a tuft of red hair was visible. She walked over slowly and reached out to touch the pillow. Nick's hand shot up and he twisted her arm, she yelped in pain and jumped back.

"I'm still awake Winny-_chan_." Nick said curtly.

"Sorry, I was just curious how you looked." Winny admitted.

"It doesn't matter, when all's said and done, you'll never see me again after we're done with Phantom's little game." Nick said.

"Umm, would you let go of my hand?" Winny asked. Nick let go and Winny walked over to her bed and went to sleep. **(Yes, she went to sleep in her towel, do you think they have any PJ's for gods sake?)**

---

Winny woke up that morning to Nick drumming on the walls. She opened her eyes lightly to see Nick's mask an inch from her face.

"AHHHH!" She screeched as she fell off the bed. "OW!"

"Hehe, idiot." Nick walked out of the room.

"Bastard…"

---

"So…" Nick started as he walked to the elder. "How long has the elder been in me? Can you tell? Because I can't remember."

"Since you were eight." The elder frowned.

"Really? Since I was 8 huh?" Nick frowned. "So how do we get rid of the little bastard?"

"We have to extract your soul." The elder said solemnly. "But considering my current hospitality, I don't think I'm inclined to do such a thing."

Nick paused for a moment.

"There's a price I have to pay." Nick frowned.

"That's right, did he tell you that?" The elder smiled.

"He said I have to give up the thing I feel strongest about." Nick frowned.

"And what is that thing?"

"I have to give up my-" Nick paused. "The next time I kiss Kira, I will lose all the love I have for her."

Winny looked away. "That's pretty heavy." She said quietly. "Nick, you shouldn't have to force this, maybe you can find ano-"

"There is no other way, I need to have him extracted from the part of my soul he's latched onto." Nick said tartly. "I can live without Kira a little easier if I don't love her anyways. I miss her too much otherwise." Nick explained. Winny looked shocked as she backed away a little.

'_He's willing to give her up? Just like that?'_ Winny frowned. _'There's something wrong with this kid.' _She opened her mouth the speak and Nick turned his head slightly.

"Winny-chan…" Nick said. "What was your first impression of me?"

"You're good at choking people?" Winny said with a chuckle. Nick's mask gave an irritated expression. "That you're… unfeeling and cold."

"What makes you think I should be able to love her in the first place?"


	14. OMAKE! COMPLETE RANDOMNESS!

**A/N: Welcome to A New Life: Omake Edition! I just got back from my first week as a freshman! And between NOT getting made fun of and being popular with girls; I'm in a REALLY good mood! So that's why I wanted to do a WHOLE chapter of random episodes that have nothing to do with the plot, story, and I wanna break the fourth wall until it's a pile of dust!**

**P.S. I didn't particually ask for PERMISSION to use MarHeavenAngel and her character Kaori in the story, but she didn't say no when we were chatting so that's good enough for me!**

**---**

**Episode 1: Cyber Ass-kicking.**

Nick walked down to the lounge room quickly, he wore a red bandana on the set at all times to stop all arguments on who was the real author. He kicked the door down and skipped in happily, the lounge room was a blank room with a coffee machine and a giant food table that Rob and Nanashi were always crowding.

"HELLO EVERYBODY! WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY!" Nick smiled as he leaned over and kissed Kira on the cheek and sat down next to her. He lifted her up and plopped her down on his lap.

"What happened to you?" Samantha asked from the other couch. "Win the lottery."

"First day of school." Nick smiled. Kira looked at him oddly.

"Who are you and what have you done with my Nicky-kun?" She asked.

"Sorry, but I mean, I get up at a _reasonable_ time to get ready for school, when I get there I find out that I'm not the one red head so _no one_ picks on me." Kira and Samantha nodded their heads to this reasoning. "And I'm popular with the girls there!"

Kira twitched at this. She got up and picked up the coffee table in the middle. "SAY WHAT?" Samantha grabbed Catherine from the other couch and they hid at the opposite end of the room.

"EEP!" Nick jumped from the couch, barely dodging the coffee table. "DON'T KILL ME!"

"What the hell?" Winny walked out of her dressing room with a facial mask and robe on. She ducked as a pillow was thrown at her and she hid next to Samantha. "What's going on?"

"Turns out some other girls have taken an interest in our author here." Samantha sighed.

"Seriously?" Winny blinked. "Wow."

"It's not that surprising, I mean, he's like a shyer version of our Nick." She pointed out.

"He's still not that quiet though." Winny sighed.

"Onii-san can be pretty loud sometimes." Catherine nodded.

"STOP RUNNING!" Kira yelled as she threw a couch at Nick.

"STOP THROWING THINGS AT ME!" Nick jumped over it and made a hand sign.

"Summoning Jutsu!" He pounded his palm against the floor, and a five foot two girl with short blond hair appeared in a ball of smoke. 

"What in the?" She turned around to see Nick waving at her. "Oh hi Nick! What's up?"

"Hi Erin, I'm going use you as a human shield ok? Good!" Nick picked Erin up and ran over to Rob and Nanashi. "HELP!"

"EEP! PUT ME DOWN!" Erin yelled.

"Who's she?" Samantha asked.

"Oh I remember her, I did a short omake with her and the two Nick's once." Winny pointed it out. "Nick calls her Peanut-chan too." She grimaced.

"You _really_ hate that name huh?" Samantha frowned.

"I'm going to hang him from his bed sheet." Winny twitched.

"Nick you idiot!" Erin yelled.

"Sorry!" A baseball hit Erin the stomach, she lurched forward and Nick tripped over himself from the movement. They both fell on the ground, Kira brought up an axe and twitched a little.

"Is that one of the girls?" She asked. Erin shook her head rapidly.

"I'm a friend!" Erin glared at Nick. "But as long as I'm here." She took one of the couches out of the wall and practiced swatting it around like a bat.

"Ohh… this is gonna hurt is it?" Nick sighed. The story Nick poked his head out of his room and yelled something about it being his line.

"YES IT WILL!" The girls yelled.

---

**Hehe, you get revenge for the Peanut-chan comments Erin! Good for you!**

**---**

**Episode 2: Abusing Powers**

**---**

Nick sipped from his bottle and smiled. "So you don't get any benefits?"

The blond girl in front him sighed, she was wearing a frilly pink dress that she obviously loathed. "Yeah, I mean she doesn't treat me _badly_, but she's pretty mean sometimes."

"Sucks for you Kaori-chan." Nick sipped from the bottle again.

"Do you really drink off stage?" She asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Oh this? No! It's chocolate milk!" Nick smiled widely. "Trust me, I've drunken some hardcore stuff before, it tasted _nasssty_!"

"Mind if I sit down?" Phantom walked by. Kaori cringed and Nick waved to him.

"Yeah sure Phantom." Nick smiled. Kaori cringed again as he sat next to her. "So what's up with you? Getting a lot of guest spots lately?"

"Yeah, it's almost a pain." He frowned. "And all the yaoi… oh god the yaoi."

"Poor man." Nick frowned. "But at least you get jobs after this, OC's just turn into dust."

"Well there _are_ advantages." Kaori stammered. "Like having a mind of our own."

"Yeah, but our authors can control us." Nick arched his eyebrow. "Speaking of which, why are you sweating and looking at Phantom like that?" Kaori's eyes glazed over and a little drool came out of her mouth. "Oh no! RUN PHANTOM RUN!" Kaori tackled Phantom to the ground and started to kiss him as he waved his arms back and forth trying to get off. "DAMN YOU AUTHORS!"

---

Meanwhile, Nick and Erin (MarHeavenAngel) laughed manically in their evil lair in an undisclosed location (Nick's backyard).

"MUHAHAHAHAHA!" Erin laughed as she pressed another button on the laptop, The screen showed Kaori and Phantom on the floor, she pressed another key and Kaori pinched Phantom's butt.

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Nick crossed his arms in a Don Kanoji like fashion. (It's a Bleach reference, and yes I know I probably spelt it wrong.)

"What should we do next?" Erin asked as she bounced up and down in her seat.

"Oh! Should we make Winny kidnap Nick?" Nick bounced up and down and started writing ideas down on a pad of paper.

"No, she's already done that on her own accord off-stage, remember?" Erin shook her head. "She's feisty little girl isn't she? How did you say you came up with her again?"

Nick blushed fiercely. "Err… Movie character?

Erin arched her eyebrow. "What _kind_ of movie character?"

"J-JUST A MOVIE CHARACTER!" **(It's a joke people! I'm not that kind of pervert!)** Nick yelled as he pressed a button on the keyboard. Story Nick, who was trying to get Kaori off Phantom, suddenly tripped and landed on top of Kaori.

"Where do you think An-" A short girl with brown hair burst through the screen door.

"I HEARD PHANTOM WAS GONNA BE HERE!" The girl yelled. Nick waved and she sighed. "You suck." **(That's Phantom'sAngel if you didn't guess, sorry AnimeGurl, you don't have a profile for any reference!)**

"Well hey, we're messing with our OC's, you wanna try?" Nick smiled the girl rushed up and put her finger to her chin.

"Can I mess with Nanashi real quick?" She asked. Nick shook his head.

"Nope, not an OC." Nick sighed.

"Can I mess with Nick real quick then?" She asked innocently. The real Nick shrugged and pulled up a seat. "Go ahead, when your done I'll make us cookies!"

"COOKIES!" Erin rushed into the kitchen.

"NOT NOW!" Nick screamed at her. She walked outside with her head drooped down.

---

Nick felt a slight pinch as he suddenly lost conscious thought, he looked down at Kaori manhandling Phantom on the floor and suddenly he felt jealous. He kicked Kaori off and dived onto Phantom.

---

Nick's jaw dropped as he watched the scene from the laptop.

"Oops, so the Y button stands for Yaoi. I get it now."

"TURN IT OFF!" Erin and Nick both yelled at her, she pressed the backspace button and suddenly Story Nick regained consciousness.

---

"Oh… my… god." Kaori and Nick both whispered.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU TWO?" Phantom screamed.

"IT'S NOT US! IT'S THE AUTHORS!"

---

**Hehe, my two greatest and only fans… Damn… WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO ALL THE OTHER GUYS WHO READ DEFECTION?! DID THEY NOT GET THE SEQUEL LINK?! Oh well, you guys got guest spots of randomness, AnimeGurl… well… you get a cyber cookie with cyber wasabi on it for being a fan.**

**---**

**Episode 3: The Dating Game**

**Since last time I used the characters like they were actors, but in this they're actually using their story personalities.**

**---**

Erin tapped her foot. "You're going on."

"I DON'T WANT TO! I LIKE ALVISS-KUN YOU PSYCHO!" Kaori yelled through her dressing room drawer. "AND WHY DO I HAVE TO WEAR THIS THING?"

"Because we're recreating the Dating Game! You have to dress like you're from the 70's!" Erin yelled.

"Do I at least get to know who I'm questioning?" Kaori said, slightly weakening to the idea.

"No, but maybe you'll find Alviss-kun in the group." Erin cooed. Kaori suddenly stiffened.

"Ok fine." Kaori burst out of the door in a superhero pose; she wore tye-dye** (Never bothered to learn the spelling sorry.)** bellbottom jeans and a white shirt. "Do I _have_ to wear these jeans?" She then blushed. "And why can't I wear a bra?"

"I don't know some hippie philosophy, now wear these and get out there!" Erin put the tye-dye bandana around her head and put her hair in the ponytail in a flash, followed by sliding the dark, round glasses on and throwing her out onto the stage.

---

Story Nick sat on his stool and sighed angrily. "Why can't I be the host? You're the single one."

"As good a point as that may be, I can't live in a special make-believe world all the time." Nick chuckled. "And besides the point, I'm shy."

"NO YOU'RE NOT YOU BASTARD!" Story Nick punched Author Nick in the stomach.

"AM TOO!" He blushed a little and looked away indignantly. "You haven't seen me around girls I like."

"Like _Kira_?"

"Like before she was with me!" Nick punched the Story Nick in the face and twitched. Story Nick got up and tackled him.

"Damn it you two! You have 10 minutes until we go on the air!" Winny said as she dragged the Story Nick off of the Author. "Now put your shirt back on." She blushed a little.

"Can't I just wear my undershirt?" Story Nick sighed.

"NO! IT'S A 70's THING!" Winny shoved the tye-dye flannel shirt on him and stormed off.

"Do you have anything _besides_ tye-dye?" Story Nick sighed.

"Sorry man! Phantom and Peta wanted to use the rest of the shirts for a costume party."

"Seriously? That's bullcrap." Story Nick pouted. "Can we at least buy some more stuff?"

"Uhh… no!" Nick turned Story Nick around and pushed him back into his stool.

---

Alviss walked up to Nick. "Hey Author-san." He said coolly. Nick turned around and smiled widely.

"Hey man, welcome to the show, here have a beer." He threw a can at him and he sighed.

"I'd rather not." He declined.

"C'mon! You're gonna want to see this, why not enjoy it a little more?" He cooed.

"With alcohol?" Alviss arched an eyebrow.

"Oh I get it." Nick smiled devilishly. "YOU'RE A LIGHTWEIGHT!"

Alviss twitched. "Can I just see Kaori-chan please?" He mumbled.

"You'll see her man." Nick smiled. "And I'm just kidding around. The beer's full of Dr. Pepper, Kira wouldn't let me drink anything." He smiled. Alviss rolled his eyes and sat on the bleachers next to all the cameras.

---

Two guys walked up in the booths next to Nick, one of them had a slight mustache and a goatee, he was tall and had a lean body, but didn't look very muscular. He wore big, dark glasses and a button down shirt that was plaid with white pants. But all of this didn't stop anyone from staring at the huge afro he had.

The other one, who wasn't as tall, had longer hair than Nick, his hair was brown with white streaks in it (Seemingly dyed) that came down an inch past his shoulders. He wore an open black T-shirt that faintly showed a six-pack, and he had brown slacks on.

Kaori grumbled and sat on her stool on the end of the stage. The three guys looked at each other and waved to each other before giving the thumbs up to Rob and Nanashi, who were working the cameras.

"Ok Kaori-chan, here are the questions, and good luck." Kira trotted up to her quickly and handed her the cards. She sighed before faking a smile and taking them. "Oh and Kaori-chan, you're allowed to wear a bra."

"DAMN IT ERIN! I HATE YOU SO MUCH RIGHT NOW!" Kaori burst from her stool and ran for her dressing room. After a few minutes, she walked out with a huff, Author Nick chuckled and patted her on the shoulder.

"No more anger fits ok?" Nick looked at her. She groaned and Nick nodded. "Good, now look happy for the cameras."

"IS THIS GOING ON TV?" Kaori yelled.

"Worse, YouTube." Nick laughed. "Just kidding, I just wanna use this for us to look back on it years later."

"Fine." Nick ran off and cued the cameras. "Welcome to the Omake Dating Game! I'm your host Checky Shazam!" The crew arched their eyebrows and Nick just gave them a 'go-with-it' look. They shrugged and Nick continued. "After today, one of our handsome contestants will win a date with our wonderful Bachlorette…" He stopped at the guy with the afro. "Well, maybe handsome is too strong."

"Hey!" The man stood up. Nick chuckled and forced the man back into his seat.

"Woah, he's like twice your size." Story Nick marveled.

"I'm strong too ya' bastard." Author Nick glared. He walked on and stopped at Kaori. "And here's our Bachlorette, Kaori." He leaned over. "Sorry, formalities." He pecked her on the cheek and shook her hand. "Hello Kaori."

"Hello _Nick_." Kaori said through gritted teeth. Meanwhile, Alviss was punching a hole in the bleachers.

"Now, why don't you start with the first question, and remember, the contestants can only here the questions." Nick smiled. Kaori cleared her throat and lifted the cards.

"What is your dream date?" Kaori leaned over to Nick. "We're kicking it off with that?"

"They get better." Nick smiled wickedly. Kaori's eyes widened but she sat still.

"C-contestant number one?" She stammered. The man with the black open shirt gave a million dollar smile that made the girls blush.

'_So…hot.'_ Samantha (Who was working the lights with Catherine), Kira, and Winny all blushed.

"I would take you out to a nice candle-light dinner on a boat, and then take you to a tall skyscraper where we can stare at the city lights in peace." Kaori started to daydream about it, but she had to use Alviss's image instead of making a guy up.

"Sounds like a romantic, now remember, we use voice changers so don't think too much about who the guy may be by his voice." Nick lied.

'_I already like this guy! I hope he's hot though.'_ Kaori smiled. She felt a little guilty about doing this, but then she thought maybe she'd get lucky and one of the guys _would_ be Alviss! "Contestant number two?"

The afroed man smiled a crooked smile, the girls cringed and backed off. (Even Catherine.) "I would take you dancing and then wing it from there." Kaori thought that the dancing would be fun before shaking her head.

"Number three?" She asked sweetly, her hopes rising. Story Nick groaned and read a cue card held up by Nanashi.

The cue card read: 'She's really hot, say something nice!'

"I would take you ice-skating before taking you to a nice field where we could watch the sun go down and gaze at the stars." Nick sighed. The real Nick squeaked before the rest of the girls stared at both of them. Kaori sighed and then almost fell out of her chair in a daze.

"And we're going to commercial!" Nick said before dropping the mic and rushing over to his counterpart. "What the _hell_ are you doing? When did you read that story?" He whispered.

"I live in your brain genius, and since I look just like you I can get into your personal story ideas. I must say, you're quite the romantic." He smiled evilly. The rest of the girls. (Kaori simply continued daydreaming.) marched up to Nick. He gulped before they all glomped the two of them.

"THAT'S SO ROMANTIC!" They squealed. Catherine tried to get in before climbing over Samantha and hugging Story Nick's head. "WHICH ONE OF YOU CAME UP WITH THAT?"

Story Nick smirked and the Author Nick shook his head. "HE DID!" They pointed at each other. The girls backed off and stared awkwardly. Author Nick raised his hand. "Fine it was me, happy now?"

"NICKY-KUUUUN!" Kira tackled him. Nick yelped and they fell to the floor.

---

"And we're back!" Nick smiled as he finished putting the last bandage on. "Kaori-chan, would you please read the next question?"

"Contestant number one." She smiled. "How many kids would you like to have when you get older?"

The hottie grinned. "I want as many as my wife-to-be wants." The girls smiled dreamily.

"Contestant number two?"

"I want two boys." The girls frowned.

"Number three?" Kaori asked.

"I want one girl, maybe two if I can support another child." The girls quizzically looked at the red head. Kaori half-smiled and flipped the card.

"One, where is the best place for us to-" She blushed fiercely and flipped the card. "What is your favorite po-" She flipped the card again before looking to Author Nick. "You pervert."

"Ok ok, here's the real final question." He handed her a golden card.

"What would you do for the person you love?" Kaori asked. Contestant one smiled joyfully.

"I would protect them everyday of my life." He smiled. The girls blushed again and nearly fainted.

Number two spoke up. "I would buy them all the jewelry in the world to show how much they're worth to me." The girls looked at him confused and then looked over to Story Nick, who was on the verge of tears from the question.

"Number three?" Kaori asked.

"I… I can't say it." Author Nick shuddered. He walked over to him and patted him slowly on the back. Story Nick smirked and leaned close to his ear. "If you don't want me to spill how sappy you really are, I'll need some encouragement."

"You bastard." Author Nick sighed. "What do you want?"

"I want Winny to back off, and you have to end Final Destination so that I don't get to come back for a surprise sequel." Story Nick's lips curled into a wide smile.

"Number three is ready to answer!" Author Nick ran over to Kaori. Story Nick pretended to wipe his tears away.

"I would protect them with my body and soul! I would give up almost anything to hold them in my arms and I would gladly give my life to follow them into the next world!" The other guys fell to the floor and Kaori stumbled out of her chair. Author Nick smiled and picked Kaori up.

"Woah woah woah!" Kaori stopped him. "Where in the _hell_ did you pick up this sap?"

Author Nick twitched and dropped her on the floor before leaning over to talk to her. "Have you made your decision?"

"Uh… I'll go with number one!" Kaori smiled. _'If I went with number three and I didn't like him, I'd feel like such a jerk anyways.'_ The wall lifted and the man stepped through, Kaori's nose started to drip blood and she stood at attention.

"Hello, Kaori-chan." The man opened his arms. Kaori rushed into them and gave a stupid smile. "Do you remember me?"

"Huh? What?" She started. "No, why would I?" Author Nick started to chuckle.

"Oh well, let's go on that date, the limo is outside." The man picked her up bridal style and rushed her out the door. When the door closed, Author Nick burst out in hysterical tears and waved at the cameras for them to turn off.

"What's up with you?" Rob asked as he walked up to him. Nick laughed and pointed to the afroed man, who frowned and took off his afro, the cast fell to the floor and started to yell at Nick for being a dick.

"YOU SET MY KAORI-CHAN UP WITH HIS BOSS?" Alviss rushed up to him and grabbed Author Nick by the neck.

Nick laughed and choked at the same time as Alviss shook his back and forth.

---

"Oh, this was so romantic." Kaori smiled as they looked over the city. The man looked at her as they held each other tenderly. _'But… Alviss…'_

"I know you like another person Kaori-chan." The man smiled. "But… can I get one kiss before I let you go back to him." Kaori blushed and looked to him softly. They shared a brief kiss before they walked back to the roof door.

"By the way… I know it sounds stupid, but I never asked for your name at dinner." She smiled.

"Oh… it's..." She paused in mid-step. And her jaw dropped as the man told her his name and took off his wig.

---

Alviss paced around in front of the building. Author and Story Nick were chuckling slightly, and the girls were talking (plotting Nick's doom for being so insensitive.)

The limo slowly pulled up, followed by a quick BONK. Kaori opened the door and smiled. She walked out and kissed Alviss quickly before walking up to the two Nick's.

"A-hem." She cleared her throat. The two Nick's faces scrunched up as they held back the laughter. "WHO IN THE HELL SET ME UP WITH PHANTOM?" She kicked Author Nick in the face and continued to stomp on him continuously as she pulled the limp form of Phantom out of the limo and started beating the other nick with him. The two Nick's continued to laugh as they were getting the piss beat out of them.

Erin walked out side with a smile and greeted Kaori; she glared at her and picked her up by the leg, using both bodies to beat up the Nick's.

"Uh… Kaori-chan?" Alviss said coyly as he walked up to her.

"Ok you!" Kaori yelled. "Next time you know I was set up with someone I hate-!" She dropped the two bodies. "COME SAVE ME!" She glomped him and started to kiss him longingly.

"See? I help strengthen their bond!" Author Nick got up and pointed out. The rest of the girls (Excluding Erin who was knocked the fuck out.) came out and started stomping on the poor author.

---

**Lol, by the way, if you couldn't tell, Peta was the afroed guy. But he had NO part in the last story so I didn't bother actually revealing him.**

**On a side note, I truly, TRULY don't wanna hear anything about my sappiness. It's for the omake only! DO YOU HEAR ME?**


	15. Chapter 14

**Ok, I didn't want to get any questions because I fear I'm drilling in Nick feeling he doesn't deserve Kira into the ground.**

**Nick feels that way so intensely, because of all the teasing and torment he went through back into his world. In turn, he feels that his friends, who are very kind to him beyond his crap, are only putting up with him. So he feels that he should allow Kira to date him because he sees himself as a demon. (Further enforced by the mask.)**

**Now: On with the story!**

**P.S. I accidentally turned Winny into a brunette a few chapters ago, I changed it now but I wanna make sure you guys let me know if I do something stupid like that again **

---

Nick made a quick stroke on his hand and the black paint glowed bright blue for a second. It faded down and Nick pointed to his red boxers.

"Do I need to mark that too?" Nick asked.

"Only if you want to keep it." The elder remarked. Nick's mask's eyes grew wide and he strip the boxers off. Winny in the corner looked away blushing and started praying for Nick silently.

'_He's still my enemy but… somehow I feel he deserves some relief. So please save him lord.'_ She looked back to see Nick's naked body's back turned to her, she got up and leaned against the wall.

"Ok Nick, now the only reason I'm doing this is so my grandfather may be set free, understood?" The elder said harshly.

"Just get it over with." Nick said firmly. A black glow surrounded the mask and Nick punched himself in the face. "Before I have to knock myself out to keep sparky under control."

"Very well, but this will hurt… quite a bit."

"I like pain sometimes." Nick's sincere smile was imprinted on his mask. "It let's me know I'm still alive."

"Masochist?" The elder asked.

"Bi-polar." Nick chuckled. The elder arched his eyebrow; obviously the term Bi-polar disorder was familiar to him. "Just go."

"Shinigami Technique: Separation." The elder spoke slowly. His chains exploded and he rushed towards the tattooed boy. He shoved his hands into his chest and a hazy image of Nick exploded from the body, the body fell to the floor while the soul simply stood absent-mindedly.

"That's it?" Nick asked, he looked at the elder.

"That's not even close." The elder said with a frown. He made a cross in the air and a imprint of a cross exploded on Nick's soul, the imprint morphed the tattoo into odd swirls on Nick's body as it bled slowly. Nick clenched his chest and fell to his knees.

"Nick! Are you ok?" Winny yelled. Nick turned around and suddenly his ears started ringing. He grasped his head and struggled to stand up.

"Melt the mind so his soul may be free!" The elder chanted, he clasped his hands together and blood exploded from Nick's physical head, even though no injury was seen. Nick's soul staggered before falling backwards.

"Nice, I can't even think rationally now." Nick grumbled, his emotions were the only thing he felt at the moment.

"Did you ever with a demonic voice in your ear?" The elder retorted. "May his soul be eternally bless and the soul of the demon eternally damned. He picked up Nick's soul from the mask and grabbed his Neck with his other hand; he dragged the two apart, leaving a bright beam of light between the two. Winny stared in awe as Nick's body started to shake uncontrollably, and how his soul glowed brightly. Nick looked at the elder angrily.

"Is… that all you got?" He asked with a pant.

"Don't try to seem tough boy, you're in enough pain to send most grown men to their death." The elder looked at him calmly. "Just don't fall asleep until your back in your body." He threw the mask to the ground and it exploded in a bright black aura. The elder clutched Nick's neck as hard as he could to avoid losing his soul. But the force of the aura blew the soul away from him. The soul flew back until it landed on Winny, sending her into the wall.

"Damn it!" Nick and Winny cursed at the same time. Winny looked at him quizzically.

"I can barely see you Nick." She noted.

"I can see you perfectly." Nick frowned.

"**And I can see you both crystal-clear.**" A voice echoed. Nick jumped up to see a giant fist heading his way; he grabbed Winny and jumped off to the side with her. Nick focused his energy into his palm and a small ball of ice appeared in it.

"What's that gonna do?" Winny insulted him. Nick frowned and threw her to the ground; she tumbled a little before flipping up to see Nick's hand turn into a giant rock.

"Yah!" He jumped at the black aura and smashed the rock into it, the darkness seemed to dissipate a little before swallowing Nick whole and pushing him back into the wall. "Fuck!" He slammed into the wall and lurched forward. He recovered after a second and focused all his energy into his arms.

"**That won't work in your current state! You're physical body is too weak, and even if I can't destroy it yet, if I destroy your soul I can easily take it over!**"

"JUST DIE ALREADY!" Nick yelled. He threw his arms up into the air and his robe covered his body, a small rock appeared in his hand and he smashed it into the floor, the rock exploded with light energy and from it's mist, a large wolf appeared with a wooden sword in it's mouth. Nick grabbed the sword and the wolf ran at his side as he rushed at the cloud. The wolf ran ahead and jumped in, the mist disappeared and Nick ran right behind him. He sliced at the air around him and the wooden sword turned into a staff with two scaled wings and a golden orb at the top, the mist disappeared completely and the boy stared at him from within it, he jumped up and punched the wolf, and it faded into the air.

"**Do you think you can defeat me with such a worthless weapon? The sword that manifest itself into whatever weapon suits those your fighting for?**" The boy stared at him with his emotionless yellow eyes.

"The wings represent Kira, and her affinity for dragons, while the staff represents Rob's affinity for magic…" Nick said quietly. "Together, maybe I can find a use for them. FIRE STORM!" He waved his staff and fireballs started to rain from the ceiling, they crashed all around Nick as he panted and gasped for air under all the energy he was using. The boy weaved in and out of the fireballs and he jumped up to Nick. Nick blocked the incoming kick and countered with a quick jab. The jab missed and the boy came at him with a hook to the stomach, which connected and made Nick fall back.

"**Stop being so naïve! You don't have any emotions and you're not doing this for your friends.**" The boy frowned. "**You're selfish and are only doing this for your own amusement and betterment in fightin-."**

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Winny yelled from the side. She looked down and took a deep breath. "HE'S FIGHTING TO PROVE THAT HE WON'T BE A MONSTER HIS WHOLE LIFE! HE WANTS TO SAVE HIS FRIEND SO HE CAN PROVE TO HIMSELF THAT HE CAN CHANGE!" She yelled. Nick's eyes widened and he tackled the boy to the ground.

"Fuck!" The boy cursed, Nick brought his staff up and slammed it into the boy's face, the orb shattered and pieces embedded themselves into the boy's face. He moaned in agony before slowly fading out into the ground.

Nick dropped the staff and got up slowly. He walked away with a slight limp from the pain he had gone through and stopped in front of Winny. Who held her hands in front of her in a shy manner. Nick brought his hands out and hugged Winny tightly, Winny was taken by surprise and looked up at him.

"Winny, how…" Nick asked. "How did you know just what to say?"

"I…" She started. "I want to change too, I don't want too… be weak anymore." She said slowly. "I let my friends and family die around me, and I felt like I had to fight to prove I could protect people."

"I understand now…" Nick smiled. Winny barely saw the smile, as Nick's soul was blurry and nondescript. "Winny-chan. Someday, you may be the only person who truly understands me." Nick admitted. "Now go to sleep." He patted her on the head and she fell into a dark and restful sleep.

The elder looked at Nick's soul and nodded. He leaned Winny against the wall and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. He walked over and sat next to his body, which was covered in blood but had no visible injury.

"So what? Why is my head bleeding?" The elder looked away slightly.

"That is why you will lose your love for Kira, the part of your brain that holds your memory, he latched onto the memories that were most precious to you. I had to all but destroy that part of your brain." The elder frowned and looked to him understandingly.

"Are you trying to pull off the understanding grandfather look?" Nick asked. "Honestly, I think you need to get wrinkles first."

"Brat." The elder insulted him. "Now listen, I still have to know, Diana is not the kind person you believe she is, are you still going to pursue her?"

"You heard Winny-chan, she was right on the dot." Nick smiled. "I honestly don't care who she is, she's my friend. And whether she likes it or not, I'm going to save her."

"Very well then. Get in your body, you'll find you won't wake up for another day though."

"Then I have one last request." The elder arched his eyebrow. "There are a few people I know, I believe that there may be more trouble for them later on." The fifteen year old's mood ring glowed slightly on his physical body. **(I keep forgetting he has that on!)** "I would like you to create a few ÄRM's for me." Nick handed him a slip of paper that was in the pocket of his body's robe. He read it over and sighed.

"You're asking quite a bit, it would take me years to do this." The elder looked up at him.

"I'm sure you have something that can slow time down." Nick suggested rudely. The elder slanted his eyebrows and gave him an angry.

"What would I want to do this for you?"

"Because I want to help save this world from something big." Nick smiled. "And after that I want to leave, find another world, take my friends with me."

"Do you even know how to get to another world?" He asked.

"I did some private research as a joke in my world." Nick sighed. "But I believe a structure called Stonehenge in my world is actually some sort of door to other worlds." Nick frowned. "But I don't really know, I'd have to find it and check it for magical power."

"Very well, if you wish to save this world, and your friends." The elder sighed. "Then I suppose I'd have to comply, you are after all a troubled child."

"Troubled assumes that there's a problem, we just fixed my problem." Nick corrected him. "You're doing this for some reason… but even I can't begin to understand it."

"You remind me of one of my children of the village." The elder noted. "She has not returned from her task for a long while, but I remember her vividly. You give off a similar quality."

"And that quality is?" Nick asked quizzically.

The elder smiled. "You make those around you feel strong and secure, but you have a frightening dark quality about you."

"Thanks." Nick climbed into his body and slowly faded. The body shook violently for a second before falling over.

"If you come back one day Nick, you would have to meet her." The elder smiled. "I'm sure Dorothy would get a kick out of your behavior."

---

**Ok, a quick heads up, the rest of the story's gonna be mostly about Nick and Winny. And after the Rescue Diana Arc we're in, Winny's gonna be gone for a while. And Nanashi will not join the Cross Guard, he will stay with Luberia.**

**Oh, and MAYBE I'll let Nick come back to MAR in Final Destination… but until then: here's a spoiler I wrote in my spare time to mark a brilliant idea I had. If you don't wanna read it just go to the next chapter or to another story.**

Nick took another punch to the face as the troops marched down the streets.

"Damn it Nick! Fight back!" Samantha yelled. Kira shot a few arrows from the board and they circled the block again.

"Nick! If you give up fighting now I swear I'll kill you." Zach cursed as he loaded his shotgun. He pulled a lever and it cocked it for him.

"It's not that easy!" Nick cursed himself.

"Nick-kun, what's wrong?" Winny rushed up to him from her fight and grabbed his arm. He looked up and parted his hair for her. She gasped and she backed away.

"What's wrong?" Rob rushed through and hit another soldier in the jaw.

"You're... blind in your world." Winny whispered. Nick nodded but held a finger up as to say 'keep it a secret'. "I'll protect you then." She got in front of him and summoned her Rose Rapier.

"Nick!" Aislinn rode with Nathan on the air cycle. Nick heard their voce and concentrated his energy.

"I know where they are, make sure I don't screw up though." Nick mumbled. He rushed through the crowd of rioters and soldiers until he reached the town square, there he waved to them and pulled out his pistol. Suddenly he heard a shot in the distance, he ducked and shot in the direction it was coming to, using his magical energy, he sensed that he was going to be surrounded soon. He unsheathed his katana and ran to a nearby wall. Winny got in front of him and pushed him up to the wall, he kicked off it and Aislinn caught him by the hand. Slowly, she pulled him up and he stared her right in the eye.

"Nick!" She yelled. Nick nodded and pressed a button on his pistol, the magazine came out and he tapped it against the air cycle.

"8 left." He grimaced.

"Nick, sorry to be a downer, but maybe this whole 'save New York' plan of yours wasn't a good idea." Nathan looked back and frowned.

"Trust me, if I had my way, I'd be looking for another bar fight in Rotefo right now." Nick looked around to locate Nathan.

"Aw what, you didn't want to see us again?" Aislinn said accusingly.

"No, I just really didn't want to come back to a crying mother and a world on the brink." Nick sighed. "When we're done here, you guys are coming with me to another world."

"Gladly, I'll do anything to escape wars in the city." Nathan chuckled before pulling out his pistol. "Catherine, you drive." Catherine leapt off a nearby building and landed on the handlebars.

"Dad, the gravity here sucks." She muttered.

"It builds character." Nick joked, trying to sound dad-like before he jumped off the side with Nathan.


	16. Chapter 15

**I got some more MAR books lately, and finally noticed I've been spelling Caldea and Andata wrong (Damn fan subs keep messing me up.) Anyways, I'll be using those from now on.**

"I'm sorry." The blond haired man said with a stern look. His hair was long and spiky and stopped above his strong eyes. "We don't allow children to fight, it goes against all our morals."

"We're not asking, we're telling you." Samantha looked up at him. "We're fighting for MÄR, and when our friend gets back, he will too."

Danna sighed before looking over to Alan; he raised an ÄRM and sighed. "Ok then, but at your current levels, you'll die before your friend finds you, with your permission, I will send you into the Gate of Training." Rob, Kira, Samantha, and Catherine all nodded at this. They looked back to see Nanashi waving at them.

"Be sure to visit me every once in a while!" He chimed as he raised his hand and disappeared in a familiar green wave.

"You're friend seemed powerful, why is he not willing to fight?" Danna asked carefully.

"He has his friends to protect. But don't worry." Samantha smiled. "Our other friend will blow you away."

'_She speaks of him highly…'_ Danna started to think. _'The others seem less secure about him though; he must be off somewhere alone. So they're probably worried.'_

---

Nick put his mask on and wiped the blood off his hand. The elder smiled as he hovered above him. Nick's head perked up and he smiled widely.

"I… can't hear him." Nick started to laugh and got up slowly. "I never thought quiet would sound so wonderful."

"You're disrupting the quiet already, so I wouldn't know." Nick chuckled at this and saluted the man.

"Thank you for all you've done, but I have to go already." Nick bowed and walked over to Winny, who was still unconscious. He picked her up bridal style and looked over to him. "I've wasted two days here already, so I have five more to save Diana-chan."

"Very well, do you have any idea where you need to go next?" Nick nodded his head.

"I think the reason Phantom sent me to Caldea, was to get rid of my distraction," Nick frowned. "So now I can use my head to figure out where he is." Nick stopped for a moment. "Let's try… the nearest castle." Nick asked. The elder nodded.

"Yes, I believe you mean the defense tower near the shore, it's been abandoned for quite some time." The elder nodded. The Nick shook his head.

"No no… Phantom's cocky; he would pick somewhere a little more obvious and isolated.

"Like an island?" The elder asked. Nick nodded. "Pazurika Island, it's off the coast up north, I've never been there, but I've been close, would you like me to transport you as close as I can?" Nick nodded and the Elder waved his hand and Nick and the sleeping girl were transported to a red desert area.

"N…Nick?" Winny said as she opened her eyes. Nick's mask stared at her blankly and he started to run incredibly fast. Winny wrapped her arms around Nick's neck in a scared fashion as he jumped onto a plateau and leaped off to the edge of a trench, he started to run on the corner of it. "STOP SHOWING OFF!" Winny yelled as she smacked him. Nick chuckled and lost his footing, the girl screamed as they plummeted to the ground.

"Stop screaming." Nick asked angrily as they fell, Winny closed her mouth and Nick raised his hand. "Nature ÄRM: Fantasia." The wand came into his hand and he waved it in mid-air. The ground rumbled and shot up in a path to the ocean in the distance. Nick gave an evil smirk to Winny before running off again.

"Damn, I can run now ya' know!" Winny complained.

"Yeah… but could you _keep up?_" Nick taunted her as he dug his heel in the ground and shot off. By the looks of it, Nick was floating over the ground as he continued to gain speed by planting his foot in the ground and kicking off every couple of seconds. "Without that fucker eating up all my magical power, I can completely go wild." Nick planted both of his feet and shot off at double speed. The wind blew off Nick's hood, and his bushy red hair flowed behind him in the distance. Winny's hair was going all over the place as she was being cradled in Nick's arms.

'_This guy…'_ Winny thought. _'He's not human… there's just no way someone like that is human.'_

Nick looked to her with an arched eyebrow imprinted on his mask. Winny's eyes widened and she looked at him frightened. Nick smiled and looked forward.

"Can you swim? Winny-chan?" He asked. Winny nodded her head softly. "Good, because you're making me slow." He dug his heel into the ground before pivoting and dropping Winny. He grabbed her ankle before she fell and pivoted again, he let go of her ankle and she went flying into the air. Nick disappeared in a flash and reappeared twenty yards away in a second, he kept doing this until he was under Winny again. The black haired girl was screaming loudly as Nick seemed to keep up with her effortlessly. Nick got to the edge of the cliff, a few yards ahead of Winny. He jumped up and caught her easily. Winny slapped him quickly and then slowly got dizzy. Nick raised his wand again and the water parted easily. He landed and ran on the ocean floor, dodging the rocks and coral with ease. Winny brought her hands to her face to shield it from the mist from the water.

"Good thing I was so fast," Nick smiled. "Or you would have landed in such shallow water." Winny's vein bulged and she started to yell at the red head. He sighed and threw her into a wave before running off again. Winny poked her head out of the wave and continued to yell at him as he receded into the distance.

Nick pulled off his mask when he was sure Winny couldn't see him. He let the cool mist splatter on his face and smiled calmly as he rushed through the trench he created. He saw an island coming up and he immediately shed his robe. Under his robe he was wearing a white undershirt and blue pants, his ÄRM's still hung on his despite the change of clothes and his mask simply fell to the side with the robe. He jumped up and landed on a nearby tree, he kicked off it and rushed through out of the brushes of leaves.

"This is probably the most fun I've had since I've been here!" Nick yelled as he kicked off from tree to tree. He felt his stomach rumble and he stopped jumping and landed right in front of a farm with a lonely cottage sitting on a small hill. "Damn I need some food though." Nick walked up to the farm and knocked on the door slowly. A kindly looking woman opened the door and smiled widely.

"Why hello there! What can I do for ya'?" She asked. A tall man with black hair looked at Nick for a second before playing with his 7 year old in the kitchen.

"Yeah, I got uh…" Nick's mind turned a crank. "Stranded, can I maybe work for some food?"

"Nonsense! I would never let a handsome young man like yourself starve to death in the field!" The woman walked away and Nick trotted in happily. The man over in the corner looked at him curiously.

"You seem powerful." The man muttered. "What's your name?"

"Oh… I'm nobody." Nick chuckled. "Just another unlucky soul on a ship."

"Daddy? Who's the big kid?" The black-haired kid asked. The kid had some odd markings on his face and he kind of reminded Nick of a monkey.

"A new friend of ours." The dad smiled. "Now go wash up for dinner Jack." The boy nodded and jogged off into a nearby room. "Ah, good kid, I just hope he doesn't have to deal with the Chess Pieces when he's older."

Nick chuckled. "You hate em' too huh?" The father looked to him quizzically. "I'm in pursuit of someone in their ranks called Phantom." The man seemed to lose his breath at the mention of the man and stood up quickly.

"Y-You're after Phantom?" Jack's father asked. Nick nodded.

"He kidnapped a friend of mine, and I figured he'd hide on this island to taunt me." Nick whispered.

"So you aren't stranded."

"Quite the opposite." Nick looked outside the window. "And speaking of Chess, he left me one of his pawns to escort me everywhere, she should be here soon."

Jack's father touched the ÄRM on his wrist. "Don't kill her yet. I have use for her to find my friend." Nick smirked. "Besides, if you're joining the Cross Guard I heard about from my friend, you'll get your share of action."

A loud knock was heard on the door. "Excuse me!" Nick walked over and opened the door.

"Who are you?" Nick said harshly. Winny looked at the redhead in an undershirt and pants before waving her hand.

"Oh I'm sorry! I'm looking for a friend of mine, he wears a robe and a creepy mask that shows his emotions on it." Winny smiled.

"Never seen him before." Nick slammed the door rudely and turned back to the man. "I never showed her my face for a reason."

"To keep yourself from being found." The man smiled. "You're smart kid, I'll give you that."

"With an I.Q. of 134 I'd better be." Nick mumbled. Jack's dad arched an eyebrow. "Anyways! Do you want any help with dinner?"

---

Jack and Nick walked outside and looked up at the stars.

"So you need a tour guide?" Jack's dad asked.

"I would like one, if I waste too much time guessing where I am I'll get Diana killed for sure."

"Ok then kid, I'll be your official guide to scenic Pazurika Island. Names' Vick." The man stuck his hand out.

"Name's Nick." Nick shook the man's hand and smiled. "So anyways, where should we start?"

"With a chug of drink and a map." Vick pulled out a map and took out a bottle of alcohol from a nearby barrel. "How old are you kid? 17?"

"15 actually." Nick chuckled. "Don't worry though, I can hold my liquor." Nick grabbed the bottle and took a drink. "Guess me being a few inches shorter than you fooled ya' huh?"

"Yeah," Vick smiled. "Anyways," He looked at the map. "The closest hideout is somewhere north east from here, Old castle, nice décor."

"Let's go then Vick." Nick started to walk off with Vick at his side. The moon started to fade off into the distance as the sun began to rise over the horizon.

---

Winny sighed and sat down at the edge of a barstool. The bartender came up and gave her a drink.

"Got some troubles?" The bartender asked. Winny smiled and turned around to see a feminine looking boy a little younger than Nick, but still tall and with long red hair.

"Hey Rolan-san. Nice disguise, but considering there's no one here." Winny laughed.

"I-I like getting dressed up for girls." Rolan stuttered. Winny gave him a seductive smile.

"Do you have a crush on me Rolan-kun?" Rolan blushed and looked to the side. Winny laughed and took a sip out of her drink. "I'm just kidding. Anyways, what's the news?"

"Nick still hasn't figured out who Diana really is." Rolan smiled. "But we haven't located him yet based off Phantom's vague description." Rolan bit his lip. "Do you think Phantom-san's protecting him?"

"Definitely. Phantom-san wants their little game to be secretive." Winny sighed. "Because let's face it, if most of the Chess knew about this, they'd all be after Nick."

"To start the War Games sooner." Rolan nodded.

"Exactly." Winny took another sip. "I was supposed to be with him for protection issues."

"Protection? From what?" Rolan asked curiously.

"People like Candice." Winny frowned.

---

**Ok, so do you remember those two Cross Guard guys who were in Defection for one chapter and Nick killed them? They actually have prominent meaning to the story, as they lead into the main plot of Defection. I'll bring them up sooner if not later.**


	17. Chapter 16

Nick turned the corner, sword in hand as he glanced around. "It's clear!" Vick followed him with a shovel in his hand with two green orbs at the end. "Are you sure you sensed something?"

"I'm pretty sure, but you never know." Vick shrugged. Nick sighed and rubbed his fingers on the stony wall on his side.

"There's markings on this wall, but I can't see them very well." Nick sighed. Vick pulled out a torch and lighted it on a dying torch a few feet back. He put the torch up to the wall to see a bloody arrow pointing to the right. Nick chuckled and lifted his sword up. "Sounds like someone's here to meet me."

---

Winny sighed. "Well, maybe it's not Candice that's going to attack him." Rolan mixed up some sugar cubes in a drink and slid it over to the black haired pawn. "Maybe someone like Peta…"

"Before you continue Winny-chan," Rolan started. "You've been promoted to Rook." Winny's eyes lit up and she chugged her drink down.

"SERIOUSLY?" She yelled. Rolan nodded awkwardly.

"Yeah, I forgot I was supposed to tell you, but please go on." Winny composed herself and continued.

"Anyways, Nick can only keep up with Phantom when he's angry, and if Phantom used Babbo more often, Nick would be dead." Winny frowned. "He could probably take out most of the Bishop class."

"That powerful huh? He's a prodigy."

"He's determined and gifted." Winny corrected the red head. "Nick would still be Rook if he didn't have that special power of his I saw."

---

Nick frowned. "I need to get a new weapon of choice." He lifted his finger and a five-blade shuriken materialized into his hand. "And this one's just not doing it for me."

"Maybe you could mold the Daimonji to the tip of the sword." Vick chuckled as he held the torch in front of him. A loud clink was heard in front of them and they both stopped. Nick twirled the shuriken in his hand as kept his sword at his waist.

---

"So what kind of power was it?" Rolan asked curiously. He tugged at his bartender's vest absent-mindedly, it was getting itchy on his and he didn't really need to keep it on.

"He was fused with a spirit with tons of magical power. That's all I know." Winny sighed. "So who do you think will be after Nick?"

"Me? Well… I think you're not looking at the big picture." Rolan said with a smile.

Winny cocked an eyebrow. "Oh really? So what _is_ the big picture Rolan-kun?"

"Haven't Nick and Phantom-san been interrupted during their fights repeatedly?" Rolan asked. Winny thought about it for a second.

"From what I hear, his friends interrupted the first time, the spirit saved him the second time, and his friends revived him the third. So… wait. You don't mean?"

---

Nick got in front of Vick and whistled a little. **(Bastard! I can't whistle at all TT)**

"Come on out you little jackass." Nick teased. Another loud clink was heard and Nick turned around to see Vick frozen. He turned around again to see Phantom right in front of him. "YAH!" He brought his sword up and sliced in thin air as the white-haired man jumped back. "GOD DAMN IT PHANTOM-TEME!"

"Nice to see you again too Nick-kun." Phantom cooed. He snapped his fingers and a wall beside him opened up, the red head strained his eyes in the darkness to see a cage. "Can't see well? I can fix that." He snapped again and the torches lit up all around the room. Nick looked forward to see Diana wrapped up in rope, her head stuck in the holder of a guillotine.

"Oh that's not fucking nice." Nick said exasperatedly as he rubbed his temples. "Can we at least not let her see this."

"NICK-KUN RUN!" Diana yelled. "YOU CAN'T BEAT HIM RIGHT NOW!"

Nick rolled his head and sighed. He cracked his knuckled and brought his sword up with his left hand, his Daimonji in his right.

"I don't remember the Daimonji before." Phantom mused.

"What? I like to loot the people I kill." Nick smiled. "By the way, if those were all the pawns you could throw at me, I'm seriously insulted."

"NICK!" Diana yelled.

"Shut the _fuck_ up." Nick said irritated. Diana looked hurt and closed her mouth. "I'm here to save you, so can it and enjoy the show."

"But you can't beat him!"

"Rescue Rule #21: The rescued has no say in the matter." Nick recited. Phantom chuckled and Nick looked to the zombie. He checked his surroundings; it was a large dining room. The long medieval table was smashed and the chandelier held on by a thread below it. The room had no windows, and no other way out but the way Nick and Vick came in. He grumbled and looked to his enemy "You picked an ideal location, lots of space, and only one exit."

"I was going to fix this castle up for the War Games." Phantom smiled. "Or more correctly, our _queen_ wanted to fix up this castle for the War Games."

"Your Queen eh?" Nick gave Phantom a quizzical look. "And who might she be?"

Phantom chuckled a little, the chuckle turned into a full out laugh that echoed through the halls of the castle. Vick's frozen skin crawled at the noise, while Nick looked relatively calm. "Nick-kun, you are truly amusing. You are so devoted to your friends it's almost comedic!" He gave him a sickening smile and pulled out Babbo. "Too bad such devotion leads you to be blind."

"I'm still not used to 20/20 vision yet. You'll have to excuse me for that little fault." Nick smirked. "Almost poked my eyes out trying to remove contacts that weren't there."

"Heh, well regardless," Phantom smiled. "Diana here tells me that your world has something called video games." Nick nodded. "Then consider this… level one." He waved the kendama and a giant maze of spikes drove themselves up and pierced through the wall. "If you can get through this maze without getting pierced, find the hidden entrance, and make it up the stairs, we can continue." Phantom's voiced bellowed. "I hope you don't disappoint me… Nick-kun."

"Sorry Vick… I gotta leave you for a minute!" Nick rushed forward. The spikes were enveloped into the ground and Nick saw Phantom and a knocked out Diana walking up a set of hidden stairs. Nick looked down and leapt over the incoming stab. The spikes came up again and slammed into the ceiling. Nick landed and turned to the right. He made another turn and the spikes fell back into the ground, he jumped. But the spikes didn't come up, he heard a slight rumble and the spikes came from the sides and threatened to slam into him. He put his sword and shuriken away and summoned his Fantasia. He waved it and two walls came up and stalled the spikes while Nick fell to the floor. The walls crumbled and the spikes slammed into each other.

Nick landed and rushed forward as fast as he could go. He blurred out of vision as he stepped over an incoming spike and rushed to the side from a sideways strike. He made it to the other wall and a giant wall came down from the ceiling. Nick gritted his teeth and kicked open the wall in front of him. He dived in and barely missed the wall.

"TAKE THAT!" Nick got up and yelled up the stairs.

"No… you take _this_!" Phantom yelled. A giant boulder rolled down the stairs and Nick's jaw dropped as the rock tumbled towards him.

"YOU TOLD HIM ABOUT INDIANA JONES?" Nick screeched as he fell to the ground, the rock bounced off the last step and went over him. Nick smiled and ran up the stairs; he saw several windows going up and came up with an idea. When the next boulder came he ducked out of the window and used Fantasia to pull out several bricks. He jumped from brick to brick up the tower easily.

"Sorry Nick-kun, no cheat codes." Phantom scolded. A giant spike burst over Nick's head and he grabbed onto it. He lifted himself over it and jumped up. More spikes came at him as he soared through the air. Nick kicked off them at amazing speeds, as the spikes would crumble under the strength of his kicks.

"How about a shortcut?" Nick rebutted as he leapt over the next spike and landed on the top of the castle. The sun shined brightly in front of him and Nick turned to the side to see Phantom, and only Phantom facing him.

"Where's Diana-chan?"

"None of your concern." Phantom smiled. "Level two!" He yelled. The area around the top of the castle turned pitch black.

"Oh not this again." Nick grumbled.

"Oh, but this time I have no reserves of _killing you_." Phantom smiled. "And I brought a friend." Nick looked forward to see a tall girl about twenty or so. She was wearing the most revealing one piece Nick had ever seen; she had two odd looking eyes and a cap on with a medallion. Nick first reaction:

"OH MY GAWD! YOU GAVE ME A PIRATE CHICK AS A FRIEND?" Nick squealed. The girl frowned and summoned a giant stone axe. "Very nice. What's your name?"

"My name is Candice." She smiled sadistically. "I'll make sure you remember it well." The black surroundings turned a bright red, Nick turned around and suddenly his skin started twitching. He looked to the side to see a burn forming on his skin instantly.

"Oh crap…" Nick figured he should get it over with, he rushed forward and the axe and the summoned sword met. Nick pushed back and slashed at her leg. Candice laughed as her skin bled and burned at the same time.

"So… wonderful!" She smiled.

Nick cursed. "You gave me a masochist to fight? How is that fair?" Nick sighed. "Are you a sadist as well?" His undershirt started to crumble away.

"You have _nooooooo_ idea." Candice charged at the red head with the axe and Nick retaliated. He kicked her in the shins and she reeled back, Nick summoned his Daimonji and threw it at her. The shuriken pierced her right eye and blood spilled from the wound freely. Candice screamed and the redness backed off a little. Nick tore off the undershirt and almost considered taking off his pants as they were starting to recede up his leg. Phantom frowned and Nick turned the Daimonji back into ring form. Phantom walked up and patted Candice on the shoulder. She sobbed a little from her working eye and looked up to him with a smile. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't worry, we'll get it fixed up when we get back." Phantom got an idea. "In fact, why don't we replace it with a magic stone? That'll give you an edge next time."

Candice blushed through the crimson red liquid oozing down her face. "That… that sound wonderful Phantom!" The man raised his hand and Candice disappeared.

Nick studied Phantom's stance. He was calm, his shoulders weren't tense and his legs were positioned in case Nick was to attack.

"You wanted that to happen." He deducted. Phantom shrugged.

"What can I say? I look out for my knights." Phantom said sarcastically. "Candice will become a knight after she puts that stone in, and she'll be a great asset."

"I'm offended to even be in your presence right now." Nick spat. Phantom smiled.

"Level three." He smiled. He waved his hand and three shadows formed in from of him.

Nick stared at them for a minute before tilting his head to the side.

"Ok… when did Diana describe my family to you?"

---

**Nick vs. Shadow versions of his family, it'll be interesting that's for sure!**

**Anyways… I realized something today… I'm seriously screwed if every time a girl kisses me I get a sick feeling in my stomach because I still like the real Kira --**

**Moving is **_**such**_** a pain in the ass.**


	18. Chapter 17

**I thank you all for the reviews I should probably hold some kind of poll to figure out which is the favorite character. So far I've only got mentions about Winny, Nick and Kira… no body likes Rob huh? I'll be sure to tell him that over AIM :P**

**---**

Nick looked at the shadows and mused, one of them was a tall woman an inch shorter than him. She had a full figure and had bouncy hair that went down to her shoulders, other than that, nothing else was distinguishable in the shadow form. He looked to the side to see a short girl about half a foot shorter than Nick; she had long hair and developing figure. Again, nothing much was distinguishable. Nick recognized fully the man on the far right, a tall, husky man with short hair. That was all he needed to recognize his own dad.

Nick chuckled and brought his sword up. "C'mon, they're not real, you don't think I can't bring myself to chop down fakes?"

"I figured you had enough heart to kill them, but that's not what I summoned them for…" Phantom smiled. "I summoned them to augment their powers. Not to detriment yours." The small girl lunged at Nick with her hands to her sides. Nick dodged the first slash of her nails and kneed the shadow in the stomach swiftly. He pushed her off and jumped up in the air, delivering a kick to her face. The shadow reeled back before rushing back to him with twice the speed. Nick disappeared from sight and appeared behind the shadow, he thrust his palm into the girl's head, but she had disappeared from sight as well, he turned around and ducked, barely missing a kick to his head. He dived forward and caught her legs and brought her to the ground.

"Noogie time fake-little sister!" He smiled as he brought the shadow into a headlock and brought his hand with the mood ring on it to her head. He rubbed it back and forth and the shadow scurried around desperately to get out. He let her go after a bit and flipped backwards. The shadow rubbed its head slowly and tried to cover up the red mark left by the mood ring. Nick smiled at it and the ring oozed into a teal mist.

"Interesting fighting style." Phantom mused. He waved his bandaged hand and the large man ran towards Nick. The redhead lifted his arms and blocked a ferocious round kick. Nick then pivoted and leaned forward with the leg in tow. His shadow father was thrown far into the air, the 'man' landed squarely and charged him again. Nick leapt at him and brought his sword to his side.

---

Kira's heart held a deep pain as she looked up to the dark sky in the Training Gate. She grasped the spot on her shirt and shivered a little.

"Are you ok Kira-chan?" Rob asked kindly.

"I think… Nick's in trouble." Kira looked down to her ankle and pulled it up to reveal a sparkling ankle bracelet with a butterfly on it. The butterfly slowly cracked up the middle and stopped right at the end.

"What an omen." Robert frowned. He turned around and stuck a sword in a shadow image of him. "And damn I hate those things!"

"Robert…" She turned to her short friend. "We have to become stronger… if Nick's ever in trouble, we need to be able to help him."

Robert looked at her with a smile. "We need to start at being able to protect ourselves." Robert pointed to Samantha and Catherine, who were gasping for air a few feet away.

"T-THIS SUCKS!" Samantha yelled.

"D-d-d-damn right!" Catherine agreed. The others stared at the girl's newly found language.

"Did you pick that up from Samantha or Nick?" Kira asked with a chuckle.

"Nanashi!" Catherine replied. The others smashed into the ground and got up just as fast.

"HE'S DEAD!" They all yelled in unison.

---

"_T-that's a bad word th-though N-nii-san." Catherine said. Nick walked her down the road with a ice cream in her hand._

"_Well this stuff DOES taste like crap!" Nick cursed again. There was a long silence._

"_N-nii-san?" Catherine paused before asking him with a blush. "When d-did you f-fall in l-l-love with Kira-san?"_

_Nick laughed. "Where did that come from?" Catherine gave him an awkward blush. "Oh I see, you like a special someone right?"_

"_N-no! I-I'm just curious!" Catherine explained truthfully. Nick smiled and pondered the question._

"_I fell in love with Kira-hime a year before I came here." Nick answered._

"_H-how did you know?"_

"_Well, first off…" Nick smiled. "Just hearing her voice started to make my heart beat faster." Nick got a far off look in his eyes. "Slowly it evolved to me just wanting to be with her all the time," He then looked to his adoptive little sister. "But there's no real other way to explain when you know you're in love."_

"_Eh?" Catherine gave him a quizzical look._

"_It's a feeling you can distinguish out of anything thing else you've ever felt, and you may be the last person to even realize you're in love." Nick chuckled. "People kept telling me that I seemed to glow around Kira before I even asked her out!"_

"_Jeez." Catherine rubbed her head and look another lick from her ice cream. "O-older kids know a-a lot."_

"_You want to know the truth?" He teased her. "Older kids barely know anything. But we know enough to get to a certain point in our lives easily."_

"_Wh-where's the p-point?"_

"_Mine?" Nick wondered. "Mine was 6 years ago." He smiled. "I've had to slowly evolve ever since I moved to where my friends were."_

"_Why?" Catherine asked the famous question._

"_Because I realized that the world isn't such a nice place." Nick sighed. "And it turned my whole way of thinking around."_

"_What ha-happened?" Catherine asked._

"_Don't worry about it." Nick smiled. "Oh and if anyone asks, you heard the bad words from Nanashi."_

---

Nick ducked to the side and jumped back, he slammed into the shadow of his mother and 'she' flew sideways. He slid around and brought his knee to his 'sister's' stomach. He pushed her down and ran up to the shadow father. He juked to the right and flipped his sword around so it lay neatly on the outside of his arm, he brought his arm up and it sliced through the shadow.

---

"_Nick?" A girl asked. The girl was tall, an inch shorter than Nick. She had a full figure and long black hair in a ponytail. She wore glasses and wore a brown hooded sweatshirt over a black shirt and blue pants. "Can I ask you something?"_

"_Sure Josephine." Nick smiled. "Keep it quick though, they're serving sushi today."_

"_Why do you love Kira?" Nick arched his head at the question._

"_Are you jealous?" Nick cooed. Josephine swatted him away._

"_NO!" She sighed angrily. "I'm just confused, you always told me you weren't used to loving others."_

"_Oh so you want to know the real reason." Nick chuckled. "Well I don't blame you, most people don't buy the bullshit I feed them."_

"_So…" Josephine asked. "Why do you?"_

"_Simple actually." Nick gave an evil grin. "But you can't tell anyone."_

---

Nick's eyes widened and the memory flashed through his head vividly. His brain throbbed against his skull and the shadow father pushed him down. He hit the ground with tremendous force and flew back up into the air.

'_I've always had dismal self-esteem.' Nick smiled. 'No one's ever let me feel otherwise.'_

He pushed his hand down and recovered, he got on one knee and brought both his hands to his head. "Make… it stop!"

'_But there's another thing those people did.'_

Phantom arched an eyebrow at the display. "What's happening Nick-kun? Did you remember something _painful?_" He raised the kendama and laughed. "Darkness ÄRM: Darkest Memory."

'_They made me feel…' Nick walked up to Josephine. 'The urge to kill others.' Josephine's eyes widened and she backed up a little._

"_Nice joke, now what's the real reason?" She spat._

"_They allowed me to…" Nick walked up to her slowly, his eyes widened and his dark-brown orbs turned black. "Learn the ways to read others. Now don't be afraid Josephine, this is my way of letting that anger out."_

"_Seriously, back off." Josephine said firmly. Nick pinned her against the fence and gripped her neck. He panted hard and started to sweat._

"_It's the damn emptiness." Nick smiled again. "She fills that hole the others left with her kindness, I don't understand why anyone would bother doing that." He chuckled. "Her loss I guess, I'll just end up getting shot one day anyways."_

"_Go away!" Josephine screamed. Nick squeezed her neck and she gasped for air._

"_I haven't tried to do something like this in a long time." Nick laughed. "I don't know why I feel I have to kill you though." He pondered the thought. "It's because I just told you, I feel threatened that someone might know."_

"_You-!" Josephine gasped. "Psycho!"_

"_Monster!" Nick yelled back. "I'm a fucking monster and don't you forget it!" The pained look on Nick's face made Josephine's throat dry up and her face break out in sweat._

---

"Stop it!" Nick yelled. "It wasn't me! I DIDN'T WANT TO!" He screamed as he dropped onto the floor in a heap. Phantom laughed manically as the kendama gave a bluish glow, the shadows walked up slowly to the pained redhead.

---

"_I thought…" Josephine commented as she scratched for air. "You were my… friend."_

"_No one's my friend!" Nick retorted. "They're placeholders so I don't end up doing this on a daily basis." Nick pulled out a knife from his pocket and smiled manically._

"_What… about…" Josephine felt her vision go as Nick's grip on her neck tightened. She swayed back and forth and attempted to kick. Nick moved back a little and got away from the kicks. "K…ira.?"_

"_She's wasting her time with me, I'm just infatuated with her." Nick commented. "But she wouldn't love me if she really knew, so I'm not inclined to care."_

_Nick's thoughts went blank as he shoved the knife into Josephine's side, blood spewed out and splattered against the brick wall of the gym behind them. The bell rung and Nick cursed._

"_Crap," Nick's eyes suddenly widened. "Oh shit! I need to call an ambulance, make it look like suicide, err… shit I don't have anything to wipe the prints off!"_

_Hide her. The voice echoed through Nick's head. It was a familiar voice, it was the voice that made him want to kill, the voice that told him that everyone hated him, it was his instinct, his only true friend._

"_I don't have enough time!" Nick replied. "If I'm late to lunch I'll look suspicious."_

_So have an alibi…_

_Nick sighed. Then an idea sprung into his head. If he hurried, he could get caught in a fight with the football team right before lunch would start, that would clear his name even if the knife would led to him. He looked at the bleeding form of his friend; he picked up her cell phone, using his shirt as a glove before pressing the numbers 9-1-1. He ran quickly and made sure he wasn't seen._

---

"MUHAHAHA!" Phantom laughed. The image played out in his own head. "You're a murderer!"

"IT WASN'T ME!" Nick cried out, tears started to form before streaming out of his red eyes. "I'M SORRY!"

"Did she die Nick?" Phantom asked. Nick sobbed a little before whimpering sadly. The shadows stopped above him and he shook his head.

"She barely lived." Nick clutched his head as his brain continued to thump against the front of his skull. "And there were no immediate suspects."

"Tell me Nick… was that the first time you tried to kill somebody?" Phantom smirked. "Is that why it didn't bother you when you came here?"

"It was the spirit." Nick sobbed. "I swear it was him. I wouldn't ever really kill somebody."

"But you wanted to," Phantom walked up to him. "Didn't you?"

"NO!" Nick attempted to get up. His shadow father kicked him in the ribs and he fell back down. "I…" He sobbed pathetically. "I didn't want to!"

"BUT YOU STILL DID IT!" Phantom grinned and piled the guilt on him. "YOU COULD STOP THE MASK WHEN HE WAS IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH YOU, WHY NOT THEN?"

"I…" Nick started bawling on the floor. "I felt so empty… all the time." The memory played through his head again. He screamed and turned on his back. "STOP IT!"

"Nick… you are a murderer," Phantom smirked. "And as one murderer to another, I feel I should give you some advice."

"JUST MAKE IT STOP!" Nick screamed as his salty tears fell to the floor.

"That voice in your head," Phantom smiled. "Is not any 'spirit' telling you what to do. It's your real thoughts, you want to kill on the inside."

"No…" Nick gasped for air as the memory stopped and played again.

"You want to make the world suffer for your emotional scars don't you?" Phantom smiled. "WELL? DON'T YOU?"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Nick yelled.

"Nick! It's ok!" A voice rang from the edge of the roof. Nick looked over to see Diana looking at him with a calm face. "I understand your pain! You were just a little kid and you can't stop the feelings you had for those people!" Nick's mind cleared and Phantom's eyes widened. Nick slowly got up, one hand still on his throbbing head.

"D-Diana?" Phantom asked surprisingly. "W-What are you doi-?" He turned back around to see Nick thrust his Daimonji into his heart.

"I am _so_ fucking sick of your voice." Nick grumbled.

---

**Ok, so a lot of stuff happened this chapter that was literally out-of-the-blue stuff. Sorry if your confused, just say so and I'll try to explain anything a little clearer.**

**If you don't remember, Nick got in that fight with the football jocks at the very beginning of this story, so he fought with them to make an alibi because he tried to kill Josephine, which was half the spirit of the past elder talking, and the other half his own pent-up rage against other people. But now we know that Nick has a definite weakness, which was SORELY lacked for the longest time in this series, I think all good guys need to have several physical and emotional weaknesses (Which is why I hate superman with a passion -- )**

**Anyways, I'll update sooner next time I promise ! I've been busy with a job hunt (which I may start working for a dojo soon.) and making new music. (Got a new program, check out my music at trig . com/ djnickkun.**

**REVIEW AND GIVE ME WASABI!**


	19. Chapter 18

**OYE! Sorry it's taken me so long to update, I had to switch two classes because no one ever checks the new kid's grade level --. So now I have to catch up in Biology and keep up Geometry (which isn't that hard thankfully.) and I have to get that new job as a Taekwondo instructor (but I have to train with them for a month free, I gotta get on that this weekend )**

**Anyways, thank you Erin! Your update reminded me to update and yes the wasabi jokes always make me grin **

**P.S. Somebody buy me a plane ticket back to my home TT I hate my new town so much!**

**P.S.S. I want to put in Nick's little 'urge' more this chapter, I got the idea from a TV show but it was a cool little personality quirk that also gives him a weakness. Nick needs more weaknesses!**

**---**

Nick limped painfully as he and Diana walked down the dirt path. Diana reached over to him timidly and he scowled at her.

"Nick-kun, you need some medical attention." Diana huffed. "And a therapist probably wouldn't hurt either."

Nick grinned as he lifted his bad foot up. "I get out of that with nothing more than a bruise and I go twisting my ankle stabbing that damn zombie in the neck. I hope he get s funny English accent from all this." **(Making fun of his voice in the English dub, I don't watch it because I can't get on Toonami Jet, but from what I heard he has a slight accent. )**

"English accent?" Diana asked. Nick sighed.

"Don't… just don't ask." He put his foot down and he tripped instantly. Diana laughed as the fifteen year old started spewing out curse words and getting up on his right (good) foot. "God damn it, sonuvabi-"

"Nick-kun…" Diana sighed and lifted his arm over her shoulder. "Stop pushing yourself or you're gonna make it worse." There was a long pause before Diana gave him a devilish smirk. "Moron." **(I was sooooo tempted to put Baka there)**

"THAT'S IT! I'M RUNNING!" Diana laughed as the sadistic provocation of the redhead succeeded. The kid took a leaping step and stopped in mid-air. He groaned and slowly fell to his side. Diana held her mouth as tears fell from her eyes due to laughter. "You suck!"

Diana sat down next to him and smiled kindly. "You need to rest anyways." She bent down and patted his side. Nick huffed and looked up at the sky, he rolled around for a moment before Diana helped push him on his back pathetically. He smiled and laughed a little.

"I'm pathetic aren't I? Wasting all that energy just yelling at Phantom to stop reminding me of something I can't forget." Nick turned over to see Diana frowning.

"Nick-kun? What did you see in that memory?" Diana asked. She knew fully what he saw because Phantom was showing her as well, but she didn't want to blow her cover. Yet strangely, she felt the tug to betray him weaken slowly. _'I've been away from the castle too long.'_

"It was… me… trying to kill my friend." Diana frowned. Nick held back regretful tears as he covered his eyes with his palms. "That damn spirit always pushed my urge too far."

Diana frowned. "So you do want to kill people?" She asked curiously. Nick nodded solemnly. "Do you want to kill me?"

Nick frowned. "I don't _want to_." Nick informed her. "But the image is running through my head now, it makes me feel…" Nick paused for a moment. "Light hearted."

"I see." Diana gave him an understanding look. Nick turned over and a tear fell from his eye. "Hey! C'mon it's all right!"

"No it's not! I'm a monster you idiot!" Nick snapped. Diana sighed and sat next to him; she put his head in her lap and patted him on the shoulder. Nick blushed furiously and started babbling.

"You just need rest." She said. Nick chuckled and nodded his head. "When was the last time you went to sleep?"

"About two days ago." Nick guessed. Diana grew a tick mark and smacked his back, leaving a sting and a palm print.

"IDIOT! No wonder you're so messed up!" Diana scolded. "You said your self you need ten hours of sleep to operate at a normal level!"

Nick laughed and rubbed the side of his head. "I was on a dead line." Diana stopped and lay back with Nick's head still firmly in her lap.

"Idiot." They both sighed contemptuously and stared up at the darkening sigh.

"You know what I just remembered?" Nick chuckled. "I left Vick in the castle."

---

"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU, YOU TRAITOROUS BASTARD!" Vick yelled as he tried following the bloody arrows in a circle to find his way out.

---

"Niiiiiice." Diana said. Nick chuckled and held up two fingers.

"And I can't find that chick Phantom sent after me." Nick laughed.

---

Winny walked out of the bar and started to throw up in a trash can, a flustered Rolan started running around her trying to find some medicine. Winny looked up at the redhead for a moment and sighed.

"I am NEVER drinking again!" She said lazily before continuing her purge of the alcohol.

---

"Anyone else you can't find?" Diana laughed.

"Kira, Rob, Samantha, Catherine, Nanashi."

---

Kira's skin crawled as she got up in the middle of the darkness. She narrowed her eyes and hissed.

"My Nicky-kun senses are tingling." She slithered over to Samantha and poked her in the ribs. She opened her eyes and mumbled a little. "What are the chances Nick-kun and Diana might hit it off after he saves her?" She asked timidly.

'_6 percent'_ Samantha thought. "78 percent." She lied. Kira got up and started clawing at the stone border.

"LET ME OUT!" She screeched. Samantha laughed softly before going back to sleep.

---

"All that for little old me?" Diana teased him.

"I didn't want you to be left all alone with Phantom-teme." Nick smirked. Diana smiled and rubbed his forehead condescendingly. "Stop it."

"Well… I suppose since you saved my life." She smiled. "Anything else you want?"

"A beer." Nick chuckled. Diana helped him up and started to walk with him down the dirt path to a lighted up town.

Diana smiled as they found a relatively quick pace. "Very well then!" She smiled. They came across the local tavern after a few stumbles and walked in happily. They found it was fairly empty, with the exception of a stunned redhead bartender and a drunken brunette in the corner.

"R-Ro…" The brunette hiccupped. "Rolan-kun! Another shot!"

"You said you would stop drinking!" He yelled. Winny gave him a death glare and he threw a shot at her. She caught it and gulped it down instantly. She sighed deeply and looked over to Nick, who gave Winny a deadpanned look.

"Hey cutie!" She cooed as she got up and wobbled over to him. "You know, you look like somebody I should be somebodying. Wait… that didn't come out right." Winny slurred. At this point that last shot kicked in and she started falling to her left. "I me'n ou err… lo'k like somebeddy I sh'oud be lookin' for." She came within an inch of Nick's face by stepping up on a barstool. "Damn y'ur tall!" She yelled. Nick smelled the alcohol on her and his teeth started to grit together.

"I wanna beer… NOW." He said harshly to Rolan. Rolan saluted the fellow redhead and went to work making a few pitchers of beer.

---

"And then I says…" Nick rubbed his eyes and he took another sip out of the half full pitcher. (That's right he's using an entire pitcher.) "You wanna know what I says?" Winny gave him an excited look as he told the story and Diana, who was slowly getting drunk as it is was giving him a stupid look. Rolan (who didn't recognize Diana.) started drinking as well at Nick and Winny's command and was hitting on Diana with slurred pick up lines. The bar started to fill up with other men and they gathered around Nick to hear his story, the real bartender listened in as well. "I say 'Hey! You li'le gopher! Get the 'ell back here!' 'nd I get right up in his face… and I elbow him in the nose!" The crowd roared and the sober minority chuckled mildly. Winny scooted down the half circle booth and cuddled up against Nick.

"You seem l'ke yo-yo-you've ha." Winny laughed. "I can 't talk!"

Nick burst out laughing as he took another gulp of alcohol and looked at Winny carefully.

"You rem'nd me of s'me chick. What's 'ure name?" Nick asked with a half-asleep look.

"Whate'er 'ou want it to be." Winny said as she started to cling to his arm. Nick continued to stare at her, comparing her face to other girls her remembered.

'_Damn it, where do I remember this girl from?'_ Nick thought. Suddenly Winny brought her face closer and Nick turned off the rational part of his brain. He planted his lips to her and they started to make out on the couch. Diana gave them an awkward look and Rolan started sobbing, as he contemplated why he couldn't get a girl. The crowd cheered the two on as Winny started to tear through Nick's shirt. Then the images started to blur out for the other-worlder.

---

Nick woke up with a killer migraine; he sat up to recognize that he was still in the same bar he binged in last night. He felt a slight draft as the windows were left open by the bartender. He looked down to see that he was missing a shirt and oddly enough a pair of pants. He looked over to see that entire crowds of men were passed out in front of his table. He looked over to his right to see Diana without a shirt on and Rolan in his boxers passed out of Diana's lap. He looked to his left to see Winny, fully dressed drooling on the table (In all her excitement trying to get Nick undressed, she forgot to undress herself.)

Nick paused for a moment, trying to recollect what had happened, he realized his ankle was still hurt and he couldn't walk, he looked around furiously from his perch to find his clothes but to no avail. Finally he saw a pen note on his left hand, followed by a similar one on his right. The left one read: _Please lock up when you've cleared out._ And the right one had a neat signature that read: _The bartender._

"What the _fuck _did I do last night?" Nick rubbed his temples before going back to sleep on the splintery table.

---

**Not even Nick can hold himself back to drinking with the enemy when he's had a hard day! Anyways, I give all the inspiration for the bar scene to God because all the crazy crap that happened to me over the few days I wrote this over have made me hyper and very… very… veryyyyy happy I don't drink or smoke pot.**


	20. Chapter 19

**Ok apparently Phantom DOESN'T have an English accent, my bad.**

"Alan." A tall blond adult walked over to the dark man. "I think you should let them out now."

"I could keep them in for another day…" Alan said, he had all ready pushed the deadline quite a bit. "I don't feel too much magical power coming from them."

"They're only children Alan-san, don't make them suffer."

Alan sighed. "Yes Danna-san." He flicked the ÄRM and the giant door suddenly flung open, air rushed to meet the teenager's faces as they came out of the swirling portal below. Robert flung forward and kissed the ground tenderly as he praised the lord he didn't have to fight that "damn shadow" anymore. Kira and the other girls landed gracefully and turned around to see the two men.

Samantha pushed the dirty blond hair out of her eyes. "Can we kick some ass now or what?"

---

Diana finished bandaging Nick's foot and tapped it lightly. Nick smiled at the realization that he couldn't feel any pain from it. He looked back to see Winny and Rolan still snoring, sprawled out in the booth.

"We should go." Nick channeled his magical energy and his robe and mask materialized on him slowly.

"Nice trick."

"Thanks." Nick said coldly as an ironic smile came across the mask. He stomped with a slight limp out of the bar and hung a left down the dirt path.

'_Damn, how am I going to get away from him without him noticing what my plan is?'_ Diana sighed as she trotted after him lightly.

"Diana-chan," Nick started. Diana looked his way and suddenly backed off. Nick turned around and pointed to what was in front of them. A giant battalion of Pawns was staring at them. "Do you have some enemies I should know of? Because I just killed mine."

"We are here to find our queen." A voice came from the back, the voice slowly made it's way to the front of the crowd and Nick looked down to see a pre-teen with a rook earring and a box on her back. She had pigtails and cold blue eyes. Nick stared for a second before his mask suddenly gave a huge smile.

"OMIGOD YOU'RE SO CUTE!" Nick took her into a big hug that took the girl (who if you don't remember is Loco.) and proceeded to slam the surprised girl into the ground. He stomped on her and then stared up at the pawns. "Sorry." He paused before speaking again. "I like to have mercy on children." He gave a frightening look with his mask and the pawns felt magical power surging around them. The redhead swung his arm down and his Daimonji appeared in his hand, he brought it back and threw it into the crowd. Effectively taking out a fourth of his enemies. The rest of the pawns stared at him with terrified looks, Diana's eyes narrowed and she looked behind her to see a blur of light.

"Nick-kun! Look out!" Nick turned around in time to see a giant fireball rushing at him. He got on his stomach and rolled to the side, missing the flaming bullet and injuring his other enemies.

"Nice dodge kid." A figure with a pumpkin for a head and a cross-strapped to it's back chuckled as he watched from the roof of the tavern. "Let's see if you can pull that off twice."

Nick stared at the figure in disbelief. He looked over to Diana, who shrugged and looked to the pumpkin head indignantly. Nick opened his mouth for a second, the mask sweatdropped and tried to talk again. "Y-y-y."

"Are you frozen in fear under the power of Halloween? Knight of the Chess Pieces?" Nick slapped himself and jumped in front of the Halloween.

"YOU HAVE A FRICKEN PUMPKIN FOR A HEAD!" Nick yelled. He started examining the head as if it were a manikin and started to compare it in size to his own head. "That… is… so… cool!"

"Are you _quite_ done yet?" Halloween's usually comedic nature was shadowed over by an intense desire to kill the young fifteen-year-old.

"Oh yeah, sorry about that." Nick summoned his sword and dug it into Halloween's head. The pumpkin headed Chess Piece sighed again as the kid proceeded to examine the inside of his head. "HOLY CRAP! IT _IS_ FULL OF PUMPKIN SEEDS!"

"Why in the hell is our queen interested in you?" At this comment Nick stopped and pulled out his sword.

Nick glanced at him and sighed. "Who is your queen?" Nick started to become suspicious, this was the second time someone had mention this _queen._

"I cannot say." Halloween said. "But from Phantom's report…"

"Fucker's never gonna leave me alone is he?" Nick cursed.

"No he's not." Halloween retorted. "You apparently have a urge to kill people, which has made the queen vastly more interested in you."

'_Crap.'_ Nick thought. _'Phantom can't even keep a secret? What kind of enemy are you?' _Nick's mask furrowed its brow and gave a disdainful look. "Is that so?"

---

Robert stared through the bushes to see an army of pawns coming from a nearby city. He pulled out his sword and gave a signal with his hand. He charged out at the mob and the three girls came with him.

Rob jumped up and sliced threw the first robed Chess Piece, he slid to the side and drove his hilt into another pawn. He back flipped over another pawn and swept his legs out from under him before driving his blade into the pawn.

Samantha threw her trident and impaled one of the enemies. She jumped into the trident and pulled it out before using the momentum to dive into a roll. She picked up her new Pawn Flail and started beating more pawns over the head with it.

Kira blocked an attack with her ghost shield before kicking the pawn in the nards. She brought the shield back and rammed it into his face, sending him flying into more pawns. She turned around and saw that the mob was brought down to three pawns and a taller figure with a rook earring on.

"Weapon ÄRM: Dream Staff!" The rook yelled. A short stick came into his hand and then expanded, the staff had two indents on the side, one of them had a magic stone in them and the other side did not. Robert charged the man and the three pawns attempted to tackle him. The small teen dived under them and jumped up. The weapons met and magical power surged from the impact. Robert forced his sword through the staff and slashed at the man. The rook stepped to the side and attached the two parts back together; he started twirling the staff around him and faced Kira with an evil smile.

"Rob-kun!" Kira yelled. She looked over and caught the rook's smile, it seemed that the only part of him that was visible was the earring and the smile. Kira stepped back and the rook removed his hood. The man had black hair and a kind face, he held out his hand and motioned for Kira to come to him.

"My name is Ash." The name rang through Kira's ears and something seemed like it was trying to drive her to him. "Our queen wants to have a little chat with you," He blocked an attack from Robert without looking and kicked the brown-haired teen to the side. "Won't you come with me?"

"Kira-san!" Catherine yelled. She raised her hand and a small angel appeared on Kira's shoulder. The angel smacked Kira and she snapped out of the daze immediately.

Kira blinked before realizing what happened. "PERVERT!" She threw her invisible shield at him and it sliced through Ash's abdomen, he was tossed back and pinned against the town wall he came out of.

Ash sighed. "And I hate to get rough with kids." He pulled the shield out of him and ran at Kira. Rob slid in front of him and the adult backhanded him farther away. Samantha and Catherine tried to do the same but he smashed both their heads into the ground accidentally as he jumped over them. "Sorry!" He brought a fist back and rammed it into a golden barrier that appeared in front of Kira.

Kira smirked before planting a foot into the man's stomach. He keeled back before regaining his footing and bringing himself into a fighting stance.

---

Nick dodged another fireball before jumping up in the air to throw his Daimonji again. The pumpkin head disappeared and Nick turned around in time to see the creepy 'thing' give him a frightening smile.

"Normally, moving this fast takes a lot out of me," Halloween said. "But if you're just too slow for me not to want to taunt you." He spun around like a diskette and slammed his cross into Nick. The redhead flew back down and his body crashed through the roof of the tavern. The sleeping residents woke up immediately, Winny and Rolan included.

"N… NICK?" Winny yelled. Nick jumped back and Halloween dive-bombed through the roof as well. "H-HALLOWEEN-SAN?"

"Why hello Winny," Halloween said. "Would you help me take this man to meet our queen?"

Winny stopped for a second to ponder the order. She got up and brought her Rose Rapier out. "Gladly."

"Oh you bitch." Nick said before dodging another fireball. Diana leapt through the door and brought out her own ÄRM.

"D-DIANA?" Halloween and Winny both said in complete shock.

"Go to sleep Nick-kun!" Diana yelled. She pulled out a scepter and smashed it over the boy's head. Nick barely had time to turn around before he passed out. Diana looked back at the two and scowled. "What the hell are you thinking?"

"D-Diana-sama." Halloween said.

Diana raised her hand and continued to speak. "That kid has a valuable future that will help the Chess Pieces rule this land." She walked up to Halloween and glared. "And I refuse to let someone who out-classes him use lethal force."

"Then… what do you propose we do with him now?" Winny asked arrogantly. Diana turned and Winny stared at her firmly.

Diana smiled. "I say… we give him to the Cross Guard."

---

A tall woman and a small boy were staring at Halloween and Winny. The woman was about 26; she was very tall and had very well developed features. She wore a tank top and a skirt; her hair came down to the midsection of her back. She looked at the red head on the pumpkin's back and frowned.

The boy was about 11; he was the woman's little brother and had to stick with her sister during this deal, as he had an alarm ÄRM. He was in a small armored suit with no helmet, showing short brown hair that stopped above similar colored eyes and freckles.

"Emily-nee-chan." The little boy said. "I don't know if we can trust them."

"Danna said something about a boy coming to join our ranks David." Emily said. "And we definitely have a physical match here based off of Kira's description.

"So we have a deal?" Halloween smiled.

"What deal? You're giving me an ÄRM and a boy for nothing." Emily scoffed. Halloween looked to Winny, who dropped the boy instantly and tossed her an ÄRM before walking away.

"I'll see him later." Halloween chuckled before teleporting away.

"That ÄRM doesn't look very common-place." David mentioned.

"If it really does do what he says it does." Emily frowned. "Then I think this is the only one of its kind."

---

**Emily and David, who I mercilessly killed off in Defection in only a chapter, finally make an appearance - which means we're also coming within grasp of the end of A New Life! We still have somewhere between 5-10 chapters to go though before I close it up and move on to the finale! I've made it my personal resolve NOT to reveal anymore about the rest of the stories than I need to to tie it in.**

**And no I won't tell you want happened to Kira, Rob, Samantha and Catherine, you'll find that out next chapter P**


	21. Chapter 20

**A/N: Quick note before the story, if you guys want to know how the chapters are coming along, as well as any of my other hobbies, check out my Twitter account at twitter (dot) com/nickkun it's actually pretty handy for me, just download the Twitterific tool and when I update it you'll get the notice instantly.**

**Anyways, kudos to Botanist Alchemist (I think that's it ) who is a new fan! Yay!**

"Kira-chan!" Samantha yelled. She patted the ground for the invisible shield until her hand came upon a shimmering patch of land. She grabbed it and threw it like a frizbee at the girl. Kira caught the shield and it started to circle her wrist in mid air.

"Hmph," Ash stuck his bottom lip out. "You kids are starting to get on my nerves."

"Oh trust me, we do that to everybody." Rob groaned as he started to get up. Kira smiled and pointed at the angel on her shoulder to go to Catherine.

---

Danna looked over the robed boy carefully, he had tried to remove the mask but some evil aura prevented him from doing so. He contemplated killing the boy out of pure paranoia, but decided against it simply because he was still a child by the looks of it. The boy lurched forward slightly and the mask's face started to materialize.

"DIANA!" Nick yelled as he finally realized he was awake. The redhead pulled his mask off to reveal his boyish face and stared at the tall, spiky haired blonde in front of him. "W-who are you?"

"My name is Danna," He started. "The leader of the Cross Guard."

"Who brought me here?" Nick asked quickly, his voice contained a sense of urgency.

"Ask her." Danna pointed to Emily, Nick's first reaction at seeing the girl was that of mild perverseness, he blushed slightly and crossed his legs to hide any incoming embarrassments.

"A pumpkin head and a short brunette." Emily answered coldly. Nick looked at her urgently.

"Was there a pink haired woman with them?"

"No."

"Damn." Nick punched the dirt ground. He tried to consider every possibility of what could happen to her. The only thing that popped in his head is that she got herself killed saving him. He looked saddened for a moment before standing up quickly. "Do you know where Kira-hime is?"

Danna smirked. "You need to prove to us you really know her first, that was at Sam-chan's request."

Nick smiled. "At least she's smart."

"Not really." Emily laughed. "The question was really stupid."

"Oh?" Nick turned to Danna.

"What is… two plus two?" Danna asked with a chuckle.

Nick laughed out loud for a moment. The Cross Guard members around Danna slowly reached for their ÄRM's.

"Salmon." Nick answered with a smile.

---

Kira brought her shield up to block another attack from the Dream Staff. Ash pulled at the end of the staff and it split into two equal length staffs. Robert blocked the attack of the second staff with his sword and Samantha threw her trident from a distance. Ash moved to the side and Robert grabbed the trident before it hit him.

'_Curses, I've been fighting for too long, I'm running out of energy.'_ Ash looked around to see no obvious way to take care of them. "Fine then! Dream Staff version 2! Tentacle Rod!" **(ARG I'LL NEVER GET USED TO WRITING THAT!)** The staff's ends split into eight knives and Ash put the two poles at his sides, he rushed forward and lifted both of them at the same time, the knives flew at Kira and Rob at incredibly fast speeds.

But a blur of blonde hair got in front of them and summoned a huge shield. Catherine smirked as the angel blocked the incoming knives and she landed on her feet. The shield started the crack and the three gazed over at Samantha, who was rushing to meet them. The shield cracked and time seemed to slow down as the knives raced to meet them.

A loud crash was heard and a blue figure smashed into Ash. He was tackled to the ground and stared up at a pissed-off redhead beating the shit out of him with his hands.

"DON'T-YOU-EVER-TOUCH-MY-FRIENDS!" He yelled as he crashed his fists into Ash's face repeatedly. His pupils dilated and turned the dark brown pool into an inky blackness. Ash's cheek shattered under the pressure and Nick's magical power expanded ten fold at the intense anger. Ash eventually passed out, but Nick did not stop his onslaught. Kira finally snapped out of her daze and grabbed Nick's arms, pulling him into an awkward embrace from the back. Nick struggled a little before his sanity returned and he slowly fell to the ground with both his hands out.

"Nick-kun…" Kira said softly. Nick turned around and gave her a death glare.

"THE ANSWER TO THAT DAMN QUESTION WAS 'ONE ON A BUN'?" Nick yelled. Kira sweatdropped and looked behind her to see a whole mob of Cross Guard soldiers chasing after him. "I ANSWERED SALMON AND SUDDENLY I HAVE A WHOLE ARMY CHASING AFTER ME!"

Kira chuckled and pulled him into a tighter hug. "I'm sorry Nicky." She smiled. Nick sighed and wrapped his arms around her waist. He cracked a smile until a familiar voice popped into his head.

'_The next time you kiss, you will lose all love for her.'_

---

"Oops! You missed!" Nick smiled wickedly as he dodged to the side; he brought his foot up and slammed it into Alan's chest. He grabbed the foot and flung Nick up into the air. The redhead flipped around and took off his mask; the light flooded his vision and the wind brushed against his face lightly. He threw the mask down and it twirled with incredible speed as it flew towards the dark skinned man. Alan caught it and the mask still continued to twirl into his palm.

"Good trick, but let's see how _you_ fair against it!" He threw the mask back at him and it stopped in mid-air a few feet away. Alan looked up with a surprised look as Nick threw his Daimonji at him. "Air hammer!" He stopped the shuriken in mid-air and jumped up at Nick. He launched a punch at him and Nick blocked it instinctively. He brought his left foot up and spun around Alan's wrist, the older man grabbed his foot and Nick lifted his other into his chin. The man flew up and Nick spun around his wrist counter-clockwise. He brought both his feet back up and grabbed Alan's head with them. The man stared at the horizon as they started to dive-bomb to the ground.

"He's good." Danna smiled.

"Nick-kun! What the hell are you doing?" Samantha yelled.

"Nicky-kun! Stop showing off!" Kira pleaded in vain. Nick gave her a thumbs up and grabbed Alan's limp wrists, he started flipping in mid-air with them, making them seem like some kind of acrobatic duo. The air resistance made the fall less severe when Nick let go of Alan and landed next to Danna. The man landed head first into the dirt ground with a thud. Kira got up from her seat on the log and smacked him. "Idiot."

"I love you too." Nick laughed. Kira wrapped her arm around his waist and gave him a loving smile. Alan dug his head out of the ground and looked at the redhead disdainfully.

"And you couldn't beat a knight?" Danna asked.

"I had a hangover?" Nick made up an excuse. Danna laughed and raised a mug next to him.

"Hope you don't mind getting another one my young friend!" Danna's laugh echoed, it was warm and boisterous and it reminded Nick of his own father. He tilted his head for a moment before looking back to Kira.

"Will you stop with the drinking?" Kira squinted. Nick kissed her on the cheek and them grinned.

The redhead then leaned back in and kissed her on the neck tenderly, resisting movement from the crook of her neck he mumbled. "Sorry, I had a rough day yesterday." He hugged her and then lifted her over his shoulder. She pounded on his back as he walked forward to Samantha.

"Wanna play catch?" He joked. Samantha cracked up and Catherine spat out the juice she was drinking as she tried to hold in her laughter.

"Nii-san!" Catherine spoke up. "I forgot… w-where di-did Diana-san go?" Nick grew quiet and let Kira down.

He smiled softly and then looked to the side. "She went away for a little while after I saved her from Phantom. But don't worry, she's all right." He then raised an eyebrow. "On another note, I don't think you should call me your Nii-san anymore, it makes me feel like I'm related to Sam-chan over here."

Samantha kicked him in the shins. "Shut up."

"Ok dad!" She chimed. Nick fell down and scrambled back up to protest. Catherine simply giggled and Nick sighed.

"Fine whatever." He chuckled.

---

Nick was awaken that morning with a loud boom, he jumped up and woke up Kira by his arms pressing against her breast. (Because they were protectively around her in the sleeping bag. She punched him in the stomach and rubbed her eyes sleepily.

"Don't do that." She said before her eyes widened. She picked Nick up and they both found themselves staring at a huge army of Chess Pieces clawing their way through the forest. Danna walked over to them and summoned his large sword.

"You ready for this Nick-kun?" Danna asked. Nick jumped up in his pants and undershirt and his robe materialized onto him.

"So much, that I want them to remember my face this time." Nick's mask appeared into his hand and he threw it into the army. The robed figures moved to the side and Nick rushed in after them.

"H-hey wait up!" Danna sweatdropped. He ran forward and jumped over Nick's body. He slammed his sword down and a giant shockwave took out plenty of Chess Pieces. Nick smirked and a wand appeared in his hand.

"Fantasia!" He waved the wand to the side and the trees collapsed on the army. Nick pulled out a sword and started to chop through the debris until a clocked figure with jet-black hair jumped over a tree and gave him a sickening smirk. "WINNY-CHAN!" Nick's eyes grew into black pools and he gritted his teeth. He sliced at her and she blocked it easily, he slid to the side and delivered blow after blow on her Rose Rapier. Winny nimbly jumped over a fallen trunk and teleported behind Nick, he swung his arm around and blocked the attack without turning.

"Nice move showoff." Winny said.

"You're as good as dead… you know that don't you?" Nick smiled wickedly and turned to face her. Winny gulped and lifted her arm.

The older woman then raised her rapier and both ÄRM's glowed brightly. "Nature ÄRM: Overgrown Meadow!" The tree trunk littered battlefield exploded with vines and plants with vicious looking teeth. Nick jumped up and the Rose Rapier detached into several parts and flew at him, he blocked it and the sword wrapped around his sword. He cursed and pulled his sword towards him. Winny flew out of the greenery and her rapier unwrapped him. He sliced at her and a part of her robe came off. Winny stabbed into Nick's left arm and he gritted his teeth, he started shaking with angry as his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes gave looks of pure hatred. His magical power spiked and Winny's arms started to crack under the power.

Danna looked to Nick as he kicked another rook into the trees. He gave a frightened look before motioning to his army to fall back. Kira rushed forward to see Nick in a blind rage and called out to him helplessly. His magical power continued to rise and he started to fall to the ground with Winny. The redhead grabbed Winny's neck and growled as he threw her to the dirt floor below. Winny sailed down and the meadow slowly retreated into the dirt. She closed her eyes and waited to hit the unforgiving floor.

Nick's eyes turned back to their dark brown color and his heart panged for a second. Time slowed down as he witnessed Winny flying to the ground.

"Oh fuck," He said sarcastically as he flew down to reach her.

**A/N: What's this? ANOTHER side of Nick we haven't witnessed? Omigod!**


	22. Chapter 21 OMAKE 2!

Nick paused as his vision turned into a bright white. He opened his blinded eyes to see himself staring into a pond. The pond flipped vertically and a reflection of him stared at him with his eyebrows raised.

"_Do you intend to save her?"_ The reflection asked.

Nick paused for a second. "I-I don't know, I'm chasing her on instinct."

"_I am your instinct."_ The reflection said. _"I have been protecting you from following that spirit completely for years. But you know… better than anyone… that whoever you spare will only come back to kill you."_

Nick looked to the side. The reflection gave him a concerned look. Nick opened his mouth and then shut it slowly. He raised his palm to the pond and looked to his, hate filled his eyes as he stared at his reflection and he pounded his palm against the pond, it shattered as if it were glass and Nick was brought back from his dream world. He landed before Winny and jumped up to catch her.

"W-What is Nick-kun doing?" Alan yelled. He stared as Nick tossed Winny up and caught her by her ankles, he spun in mid-air and threw her off to the side, the short black-haired woman screamed as she flew towards her unknown destination.

'_There, you're safe now.'_ Nick thought. He put some more thought into what he just did. _'Bitch.'_ He was content with the after note.

---

Minutes later, the Cross Guard reveled in their combat prowess among the unconscious Chess Piece bodies. They partied into the night as they always did after a victory. Off to the side in the forest, Nick was sulking next to a lake. He threw a stone into the river and it sank quickly. Sighing, he looked at his reflection and it gave him a twisted snarl.

"You denied me a simple pleasure." It said, the reflection had a hateful tone and it cut right to Nick's bone. "You know how you get when you hold that anger inside."

Nick spat at the lake and sat down in a criss-cross position.

"I would never kill Kira." Nick retorted. "I will not let you get what you want you sick bastard."

The reflection smiled at him. "But you've given me something else." It gave a wicked smile and stare that put Phantom's signature look to shame. "Your fear of loneliness is back, and I will feed off it, making you angrier, and deadlier, you may deny how much a part of you I am but I still belong to that demented heart of yours. And spirit corrupting you or not, those urges belong to _you_."

Nick paused for a moment before throwing another rock into the pond.

"Nick-kun?" Kira's soft voice came from behind Nick. He turned around to see her delicate figure a few feet away from him.

"How long were you there?"

"I just got here, why?" She asked.

Nick paused before smiling softly. "No reason." He patted the ground next to him and Kira sat down quickly. She held onto his arm and rested her head on his shoulder.

"You're warm."

'_On the outside.'_ Nick mused. The little witty quips from his 'special friend' as he called him brought a smile to his face. He switched to a frown and looked at Kira. "Kira-hime… can I ask you something?"

"Yeah?" She asked. The reflection gave a hateful look.

"If you expose yourself, she won't love you anymore." It said calmly. "You know that, you're smarter than that."

"If I turned out to be a monster…" Nick looked up to the sky. "Would you still love me?"

Kira gave him a confused look. "W-What do you mean?"

Nick wrapped his arm around her waist. "Just… I don't think for me to want to kill these Chess Pieces so quickly is… natural."

Kira smiled and kissed him on his cheek. "Stupid, you spared that one girl you fought. Isn't that proof you're not a monster?" Nick smiled and he hugged her tightly.

"Thanks."

---

**ARG! IT'S A SUPER SHORT CHAPTER! But since I'm so kind… you know what I'm going to give you**

**SUPER OMAKE CHAPTER!**

**2!!!**

**Ready go!**

**---**

**Act 1: Catherine's Family Tree.**

**Nick's become a constant role-model in Cat-chan's life, but after rising accidentally to father level, where does that leave Samantha?**

**---**

Catherine continued to draw on the large canvas. Scraping her crayons against it's rough white surface to form a picture. Nick was walking by and a glimpse of the picture caught his eyes. It looked like several stick figures connected by branches. Nick walked over and tapped the girl on the shoulder. She screeched and Nick fell backwards in shock.

"Dad?" She said. "Oh s-sorry! You scared me!"

"That's quite all right." Nick scratched his ear lobe. He leaned upward and looked at the canvas. "What are you drawing?"

Catherine scratched her head, trying to come up with an answer. "Well, since I'm calling you my dad, I'm trying to figure out what that makes Samantha." Nick shivered a little and raised his hand.

"May I suggest we go back to you calling me Onii-san?"

"NO! I WANT IT T-THIS W-W-WAY!" She stuttered. Nick shivered again at Catherine's tone and scratched his ear again.

"Okay then, so why don't I just help you." He leaned over to the drawing and saw three stick figures; arrows were going every which way on the drawing and came back to the three stick figures in many different ways. The first stick figure was tall and had a robe on, which Nick assumed was him. The other one was a smaller figure that wore shorts and a tank top, obviously Samantha, and then there was a small stick figure with a crown on and a princess dress. Obviously Catherine.

"Err…" Nick started. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?"

Catherine gave Nick a hurt expression before sobbing off to the side. Nick rushed over to comfort her. "Sorry Cat-chan! I didn't me-" Catherine started crying loudly and Nick tried to cover her mouth with duct tape he pulled out of nowhere. Cat started screaming with a piercing tone and Samantha ran over with her trident in hand.

"She won't shut up!" Nick complained, not realizing how that came out to Samantha. Who threw the trident at him and barely missed his manhood. He screeched and ran away from the killed blonde. Who immediately started chasing him.

Kira poked her head out of the bushes and chuckled. She gave a thumbs up sign to Catherine and she grinned back.

"THAT'S FOR FORGETTING TO ASK ME WHAT I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS!" She yelled.

---

**Okay that one didn't turn out right… let's try this one:**

**Act 2: Nick's Dream's**

---

Nick laid sprawled out on the sleeping bag, he had magically gotten out of the bag without disrupting the zipper and was now snoring softly every few breaths as his criss-crossed legs stretched his boxers close to his pelvis.

Kira and Samantha studied the less-than-fine specimen of a male with confused looks.

"You tried water?" Kira asked.

"Twice." Samantha replied.

"Dirt?"

"He almost woke up, but after he shook it off went back to sleep." Samantha sighed.

"Airhorn?"

"What's an airhorn?"

"Nevermind." Kira sighed. "Did you try punching him?"

Samantha sighed. "I kicked him in the crotch! He didn't even budge!"

Kira stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Well… he must be really tired, normally he wakes up after mid-day."

Robert strolled around in his make-shift sweats and baggy shirt. His hair was in disarray as it usually was and he was swishing a teeth cleaning formula through his mouth. He stopped next to Nick and raised a sign that read: He's hibernating because he ate too much last night.

"Ohhhhhh…" The girls said in unison.

Rob scribbled on the sign again and raised it up while rubbing his eye with his other hand. The sign had a small question: I wonder what he's dreaming about?

Samantha tilted her head for a second. "Well… he doesn't have an erection." Kira twitched a little at the wrongness of that statement. "So he's not dreaming about Kira." The brunette turned around and tripped Samantha's feet out from under her. The blonde crashed to the ground and let out a gasp of air.

---

Nick swished the wine around in the small glass slowly as he stared at the woman. The woman had long brown hair and soft facial features. She was wearing a long green dress that showed off her hourglass figure and made her lean legs look long and sexy. The woman was strikingly beautiful and walked around the ballroom as if she owned it. But all this took away from the fact that Nick couldn't stop staring at the woman's perfect breasts, and all the men she was talking to.

Nick mentally counted as she shook hands with another tall blonde. _'He'll be the 29__th __guy I have to kill.'_ Nick thought. The woman looked around and finally caught a glimpse of Nick. She blushed lightly and smiled at him. Nick raised his glass and gave her a wink, which made her blush again and go back to introducing herself. _'Which makes me the 30__th__ because that was the most cliché way to make an across the room hello.'_ Nick swallowed his pride and walked up to the woman. She heard his footsteps and turned around to face him.

"H-Hi Nicky!" The woman smiled.

"Hey Kira." Nick motioned to his black button-up suit and slacks. "So? Am I overdressed or what?"

Kira laughed. "How do you think I feel?" She turned around to show off the dress. "Everyone else is wearing skirts and I come in wearing a dress."

Nick smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I don't care, you still look beautiful." He smiled. "Hey, why don't you and me go find somewhere to goof off?"

"Sounds good." Kira smiled. She took his hand and they both walked to the stairs. Suddenly Nick's world was put on pause. Suddenly he was swept into a normal blue sweatshirt and pants and Kira put into her tight red long sleeved T-shirt and pants and they were both in the middle of Times Square.

Kira jumped up excitedly as she clung to his arm. "I can't believe we just met Orlando Bloom in this place!"

Nick shook his head and looked around. He looked up to see a disco ball and a big countdown screen behind it. _'New Years?'_

"Nicky?" Kira asked. Nick turned around and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. She pulled him off in a daze and tried to comprehend what just happened.

"10!" The crowd yelled. Kira shrugged and she lunged onto him. Before their lips met again, Nick's world was put on pause again. This time the background was turned into a color background with a Japanese sign with a pie on the top.

"TIM DELL'S ONE OF A KIND HAND-MADE PIE SELECTION IS NOW AVALIBLE TO YOUUUUUUU!" The commercial screeched. Nick covered his ears and closed his eyes for a second. Suddenly the commercial stopped. He regretfully cracked his right eye open to check for any danger. He surprisingly looked around to see that he was in a silk bath kimono in front of a spa.

Suddenly girls burst out from the spa front and dragged him into the place. A few giggles and undressing problems later Nick was thrown into a hot spring with more beautiful girls. He sighed and looked up to the full moon in happiness.

---

Kira covered her eyes and Samantha laughed loudly as Robert force fed the redhead more tea.

Samantha wiped the tears from her eyes. "Well, apparently something about that tea makes him think of you 'cause he's about to rip his boxers."

"I DON'T WANNA KNOW!" Kira yelled. "DUMP SOME COLD WATER ON HIM BEFORE I BEAT YOUR FACE IN!"

---

The hot spring suddenly turned cold and the girls molded into ugly, shapeless forms. Nick twitched and got out of the tub slowly. The girl's heads snapped to him and he started sprinted heavily away from the place.

"I HATE MY DREAMS!" He yelled, finally realizing he was asleep.

---

**Act 3: Guitar Zero**

**Nick tries desperately to define video games.**

**---**

Samantha arched her eyebrow. "So, it's like playing a guitar… only your playing it on a giant crystal ball?"

"Basically," Nick chuckled. "And it's not as hard to learn because there's only five buttons and one string key."

Samantha's head started to twitch. "But then how does it make sound?!"

Nick scratched his head. "Someone makes the program make a sound when you hit the note right."

"THIS MAGIC CONFUSES ME!" Samantha screamed. A loud snap was heard and Samantha gave a blank stare as she slowly fell over on her side.

Nick stared for a minute. "Kira-chan! I think I broke Sam-chan!"

**---**

**Act 4: Drinking Contest.**

**Danna and Nick, who can hold their booze better?**

**---**

"Nicky… I keep telling you to stop drinking…" Kira's veins started to bulge as she contemplated ways to torture her boyfriend for not listening to her.

Nick gave a drunken smile and waved his hand. "Don't worry about it! I'm perfectly fiiiiine." He leaned forward and Nick's palm ran into Kira's chest. Nick looked up and blushed for a moment. Kira patiently waited for Nick to remove his hand, but was angered when the red-head simply squeezed and gave a drunken giggle.

"THAT'S IT!" Kira pulled a giant oar from her pocket and slammed Nick's head into the ground. She twitched angrily as steam flew from her ears.

Danna walked over in a similar swagger before he noticed Nick. "Eyyyyyy! You got beat up by a girl!" He giggled.

Nick got up and pointed his finger in Danna's face. "Y-You don't fun make of me!" Nick slurred. "Err… make fun don't… don't of me… DAMN IT!" Nick cursed. "I CHALLENGE YOU TO A PRONUNCIATION CONTEST!"

The Cross Guard members watched in embarrassment as their leader and a newcomer were having a battle of the drunken wits.

Kira raised a card with the word Onomatopoeia on it. Danna stroked his chin before pointing to Kira dramatically.

"SPLIT PEA SOUP!" He yelled. Kira's mouth twitched and Nick gave a groan.

"Man I never would have gotten that!" Nick sighed.

'_I will not kill my Nicky-kun… I will NOT kill my Nicky-kun…'_ Kira twitched again. Samantha noticed that Kira was about to go on a rampage and rushed away. She came back a few minutes later with Catherine dressed up in a cat's outfit, scared shitless by Kira's blind rage. She stared at Catherine for a second before glomping her. "OMIGOD SHE'S SO CUUUUUTE!" Samantha gave a sigh of relief, having averted the equivalent of a nuclear explosion on Nick and Danna's head.

She then rubbed her hands together wickedly and walked over to Nick and Danna. "You two! No more stupidity! You're going to do what both of you do best?"

Danna and Nick thought for a moment.

"Fight?" Danna asked.

"Draw?" Nick asked. Samantha sighed. She pushed the small booth for the contest away and pulled a table from nowhere. She then grabbed several pitchers of beer and placed them on the table.

"OKAY!" She yelled. Cross Guard's swarmed the table. "Here are the rules: First one to drink 5 pitchers of beer wins the title of 'Best Alcoholic in the Cross Guard!' Loser gives me 1000 pewter!" The two boys nodded their heads quickly as they just wanted the beer. "If you pass out, choke on your own beer, or if you throw up. We will NOT heal you until after we forget you were injured." Samantha said truthfully. The two guys shrugged and Samantha raised her hand. "GO!"

Danna grabbed two pitchers at the same time and gulped them down instantly. He moved on to the next two as fast as he finished the last. Nick had five straws in his separate drinks and was almost done. Danna hurried his speed and was on his last pitcher before he gave a big belch that made the trees shake and the people in front of them lose their lunch and in one case hair.

Nick passed out from the smell and Danna laughed victoriously. "BWHAHAHAHAHA! I WIN AGAIN! SILLY BOY! CIRRHOSIS IS FOR MEN!" Danna yelled before passing out.

**---**

**Okay… that one was TOTALLY random . **

**Act 5: Breaking the fourth wall.**

**---**

Nick got up to the pedestal and brought the piece of paper to his eye level. He cleared his throat and looked at the cameras.

"Here at Nick-kun's mind, we truly sympathize with the members of the Writer's Guild and understand their reasons for striking." He continued to read. "But because many shows are going to start sucking because of this, we are officially taking over all channels with our subliminal advertising within our scripts."

The real Nick slid over in his computer chair, wearing baggy sweatpants and a tight, white T-shirt. He was wearing thick glasses with bifocals and his hair was in disarray. "These scripts I've written contain subliminal advertising for Macintosh, Warcraft, rubber chickens, professional film cameras, and classic rock!"

Story Nick sighed. "As per our law staff, we are no longer allowed to write subliminal ads for hentai or anything of pornographic manner."

Samantha came up to the real Nick and slapped him across the face. "My answer is still no!" She screamed before walking back to her dressing room.

"She was asked to be our pin-up babe." Story Nick sighed. "Also as per our new tradition, readers will be randomly snatched and inserted into the story for no reason whatsoever and without warning; and because Nick enjoys taking his artistic liberties, he will take their OC's as well."

"Just call me Mr. Asshole!" Real Nick smiled. He started to spin around in his chair. Erin walked in from the side and gave a mesmerized stare.

"LEMME TRY!" She yelled. She stopped the chair and Nick flew out of it and rammed into Story Nick. She got on and looked at Kaori, who was staring at her indignantly. "SPIN ME!"

"Uhh… no." Kaori stated. "And what are we doing back here? I thought that was a one-time deal."

Both Nick's gave her a copy of the speech and she sighed. "And I thought dealing with one author was bad enough."

"SPIN ME!" She yelled. Nick rushed over and took a seat next to Erin.

"ME TOO!" Kira walked in and looked at the soda she had in her hand. She handed it to Nick and started spinning it around fiercely. She stopped after three spins and snagged the soda while they were still spinning and opened it on the chair. Erin and Nick both stopped slowly, dizzy and covered in sticky 7up juice.

"Woah… everything's so spinny!" Erin said dreamily.

"Dude! When did you start standing on the ceiling!" Nick exclaimed as he stared at Erin.

"I'm not!" Erin replied happily.

Kaori and Story Nick cringed. "They have to be the most unnaturally happy people I've ever met." Story Nick shook his head.

"I never though I'd meet someone who hurts the same way I do." Kaori smiled in relief.

"OMIGOSH! I just remembered!" Nick stood up. He then wobbled and fell over. "Oh wait! I forgot again!" Erin burst out in hysterical laughter and quickly fell asleep in the chair.

Everyone paused. Kaori left the stage and came back with a stick. She slowly began poking the short girl (Oops, did I say that outloud?). There was no response and she cheered estacically.

"SHE'S DEAD! YAY!" She suddenly changed into a cheerleaders outfit and danced across the room in happiness. She jumped up in the air when suddenly the outfit turned into hot pink and Kaori screamed in horror.

"Nice one." Nick raised his hand from his spot on the ground and the sleeping girl high-fived her.

---

After Real Nick was tested positive for having too much sugar in his system. He was immediately operated on. The operation involved taking out every nutrient in his body and he was hungry as hell afterwards. After he ravaged the buffet like a normal teenager, He and Erin commanded their slav- I mean OC's to set up the room for a newscast.

---

Erin and Nick waited backstage for their cues. Nick was wearing a black suit with matching pants and Erin wore a blue suit that was a little big for her.

"You suck." Erin said.

"Not my fault even outfit in my mind is too big." He mused. Suddenly music came on and the two sat down in their respective seats. "Welcome to Channel 754226548 news. This just in… A huge traffic pileup in the inter-brain highway was caused various problems for Nick's stories. Down to you Winny!

On the screen, Winny showed up in a brown suit. She had a trademark smile on and was pointing to a highway with a bunch of brain cells crashing into each other.

"Thanks Nick, as you can see, Nick's carrier cells have piled up trying to connect to Erin, which has led to mild OOCness and forcing everyone to take the random detour route that goes for 3 districts until you reach the emo street. I advice you don't go through Emo Street, as past it is the Gang Sector, and you will most likely be shot by a bunch of Nick clones. Back to you Nick."

"Thanks Peanut-chan." Suddenly the girl leapt at the camera in wild rage. "Haha, that never gets old."

Erin cut in. "In other news, the Kingdom Hearts district is trying to take over every other obsession district. Down to Catherine with details. The screen showed a giant Warfield with Kingdom Hearts characters fighting MAR characters. Catherine was shaking and dodging magic blasts randomly throughout her speech.

"Urm… as you can plainly see… The K-k-kiiiinnn…" Catherine started crying. "Dad! Get me outta here! It's scary!" Real Nick turned off the feed and smiled.

"Well that's all we have for today, tune in next week for more completely random stuff that comes from a kid that _doesn't_ do drugs!"

---

**Not as funny as the last Omake's, but I needed to get the random out of me. Anyways, I gotta get a new reader to pick on other than Erin. (No offence.)**

**So if you would like to be subject to virtual torture or if I'm in a good mood torturing our OC's. Let me know damn it! I work best with descriptions obviously if you're a guest.**


	23. Chapter 22

**Since I've been soooooo serious lately with Nick inner consciousness. I decided to go back to my roots and be a little more carefree with this chapter. Of course that doesn't mean I'm gonna turn down the gore, because guess what, this is part one of the ending of the Prequel! YAY!**

**AND MY BIRTHDAY IS TODAY w00t!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**Wait… that's not a big of a celebration…**

**(Resurrects Elvis) NOW IT'S A PARTY!**

**---**

Danna peaked through the bush carefully, making sure to duck low enough so he was not spotted. Nick walked by casually and pulled his sword out.

"I believe today is a day for victory, not for recon," The red head smiled. Robert attached a magic stone to his staff and walked out.

"And I'm just dying to try out the Dream Staff." Robert gave a gleeful look as he looked at the castle in the distance. Danna chuckled and stood straight up.

"Well then if you're so eager." Danna was drug down by Kira's suddenly empowered arm.

"NICKY-KUN, GET BACK HERE!" Kira walked over Danna's confused body and drug her boyfriend back into the bushes. Samantha and Catherine were suddenly pushed out and they were blushing incredibly.

Robert gave a very confused look as Catherine was looking at Samantha for answers. She slowly opened her mouth and chuckled. "She uh… wanted to give Nick a Christmas present. Whatever that is."

---

Nick emerged from the bushes with dog ears on his head and an annoyed look. Kira followed as she clung to his arm.

"Isn't he just adorable?" She squealed.

"Wow…" Rob and Danna both said with a slight chuckle. Kira twitched and loomed over them.

"ISN'T HE?"

"YES YES! DON'T KILL US!" They both groveled as she cracked her knuckles.

---

Phantom looked outside with a devilish grin. The window gazed upon a giant pasture with mountains in the background. "Perfect scenery for a battle." He looked behind him to see Diana sitting on her throne. "I hope you don't have anymore 'change of plans' in mind."

"Not at all," Diana smiled. "In fact… I only want you to spare one person…"

"Nick-kun?" Phantom smiled.

"Actually no," Diana lifted her hand in a gesture. "If Nick-kun can't survive, then there's no point in keeping her alive."

"Kira-chan?" Phantom guessed again.

"I couldn't care less about the brat." She smiled wickedly. "But you have the right idea."

---

Nick charged with a comedic battle cry as he absent-mindely forgot his mask. He ran up and kneed a guard in the stomach before rushing through the gate. The rest of the army followed him as fast as they could, but Nick had gotten too far ahead.

"OH MY GOD!" Nick yelled as he pointed behind several guards, they all turned around and Nick punched one of them in the face, grabbing him by the arm and ramming his body into the other pawns. He jumped up after the four had been knocked out and landed through a window in the tower. He landed and was greeted by several rooks smiling wickedly at him, weapons in hand and ready for use.

"You're mine now," One of them said. Nick picked some ear wax out in a gesture of boredom and gave them the middle finger. The rooks twitched and jumped at him.

Nick dodged to the side of the dogpile and walked up the tower staircase in a weird backwards dance. "Oh-yeah-you-can't-touch-me." He wagged his finger teasingly, and the rooks slowly ran after him up the stairs. Nick smirked evilly as he led them up to the top of the flight and kicked the man in the front of the line over; he tumbled over the rest of the group and a loud series of crashes echoed throughout the tower. Nick gave a dreamy look as he imagined the carnage that he just caused. "Hey! I hope that hurt enough to teach you a lesson!" Nick turned around and slapped his butt in a taunt and continued his dance down the long hallway in front of him. He looked up with a smile to see giant doors at the end of the hallway and to see Phantom smiling at him on the other end of the hallway.

"Hello Nick-kun." The man smiled kindly.

Nick laughed and summoned his sword. "You know, generally I have to fight a crap load of other knights before I get to the final boss level." Nick said with a arched eyebrow.

"I figure that I shouldn't waste your time," Phantom said with the same disarming smile. Nick raised his hand and a nine-tailed fox appeared on the crook of his neck.

"Then I guess I shouldn't waste yours." Nick dug his heel into the ground and shot off at the zombie at the end of the hall.

---

Winny stared from the end of the staircase to see Nick slashing at Phantom, missing him completely, but not pathetically. The girl sighed and walked over to the window a few feet away to see Kira smashing her Ghost Shield into a bishop, and Samantha defending her back.

"I wonder which one is the 'kid'?" Winny stuck her outer lip out as she pulled out a piece of parchment from her pocket and went over the description. "Short, blonde, a little kid." She sighed until she caught Catherine on Danna's shoulders sommanding her Fox to attack several different men. "Found her." Winny hopped out of the window and dropped quickly to the ground, she turned her stomach to the ground and met the castle with her feet. She started running down the stony walls, letting her shows making quiet tip tap noises, she looked to the side to see several arrows going her way, she flipped around and summoned her Rose Rapier from her robe, she flicked her wrists and the sword detached into several pieces connected by a string, the sword slashed around and cut the arrows into pieces that fell past her. He leapt from her awkward sideways position and landed through another window, she stuck the landing and ran down the hallway to see several battles taking place within the blazing ballroom.

"Oh you set the place on fire already?" She jumped over one Cross Guard and rammed her foot into the one behind him. She landed and ran to the large double doors at the other end of the burning room. She kicked the large doors open and saw a window on the other end, she dashed for it and dived outside into the blue sky, falling again to the ground. She saw Danna ram his sword into several Rooks, bashing them against the wall and shattering their armor, she locked onto Catherine pointing at a man behind Danna and the tail of the fox stabbing through him. _'Got you!'_ She flipped and landed on her feet. She turned into a ball of light and wove in and out of the battles and crowds until she reached the blonde child. She turned back and snatched the girl by the collar, she tossed Catherine onto her back and ran away from Danna as fast as she could. She raised her hand and suddenly a forest of flowers and trees shot up from the barren dirt at her feet. Petals shot up from the ground and created a flight of stairs up to the window she started at.

---

Kira smashed her fist into a giant tulip and jumped over the forest to catch glimpse of Winny carrying Catherine, the blonde was struggling and pounding on the older girl's back but Winny paid no heed. She looked over to Samantha who gave a killer scowl at Winny. They both touched ground and jumped again in the direction of the window. They soared through the air together until they landed a few petals behind Winny, Samantha angrily lobbed her trident at the jet-black haired woman. It landed in front of her and Winny ran around the trident as if she was expecting it. Samantha's veins bulged as she rushed after Winny in a blind fury, snatching her trident from the petal and running hard after her. Kira followed with her ghost shield at her eye level to see through the castle, she saw Nick and Phantom fighting with two swords in what seemed to be an intense battle.

---

Nick smiled as he crashed his sword into Phantom's and backed off again. Phantom gave a similar smile as they crashed at their eye level and smashed at their legs. They brought their swords up and Phantom brought his sword down on Nick, who brought his sword up sideways to block the attack, the white-haired zombie pressed down on Nick harder and the redhead gave a creepy smile as her repel the sword easily.

"You know," Nick laughed. "We do have a lot in common."

Phantom pulled his sword back and stabbed at Nick, who jumped to the side with ease. "It took you this long to figure that out?" Phantom said tauntingly.

"I'm slow when I'm not trying to notice something," Nick explained as he dashed and juked to the side, he rammed his hilt into Phantom's side and flew up to slice through his back. Phantom disappeared and appeared behind Nick and Nick did the same, this continued until Nick reached the ceiling and Phantom had no room to appear behind him, but Phantom countered with blocking with his arm, a trickle of blood fell from his arm and they both fell to the ground softly. "Oops, did I do that?"

"Oh hi Winny-chan, I trust that Kira and Samantha aren't far behind?" Nick turned around to see Winny behind him with Catherine in a sleeper hold. Nick gave an enraged look and charged at Winny. But Phantom got in front of him, Nick jumped back but a small brown-haired figure rammed his staff into Phantom's head.

"YIPPIE KAI-AYE MOTHER FUCKER!" Robert yelled as Phantom flew into the side wall. Rob ran up and gave Nick a high five, Nick ran to Winny and punched her straight in the face, she let go of Catherine and flew back into the other side of the hallway. Kira and Samantha dived through the wall to see Nick leading Catherine away while Rob fought with Phantom with a little difficulty.

"Cat-chan, whatever you do," Nick started as he left her with Samantha. "Don't get into a fight." He kissed Kira on the cheek and ran towards Phantom. Kira shook her head a slightly from the randomness of the kiss and looked back to Samantha.

"Let's go find Danna," Kira said firmly. Samantha nodded and the three girls rushed down the tower stairs.

---

Rob sent eight knifed ends of his Dream Staff at Phantom, who dodged each of them easily and without effort. Nick got in front of the staff and slashed at Phantom's head, the man ducked and punched Nick in the stomach, he lurched forward and Phantom stood up, flipping Nick over onto his back and then he rushed towards Rob, he spun the staff around quickly, repelling Phantom slightly as he boded his time for an opening. Phantom heard a clack of a shoe and turned around to block Nick's punch and throw him over to Rob, Nick flipped and landed in front of Robert gracefully. Nick then brought his sword back and sliced several times at Phantom wildly. Phantom dodged them until Nick brought his sword down, but switched to the side, he sliced Phantom's shirt and blood spewed from the cut. Phantom leapt backwards and clenched the cut with a slight cringe.

"Impressive to the very last breath Nick-kun.," Phantom smiled. "I suppose now, I'll have to kill you for good." Phantom raised his slightly bandaged hand. **(Since I think he added more ARM's since the first war, I don't think his arm would be too messed up right now.)**

"Oh what are you gonna do? Lecture me on first aid?" Nick mocked.

"Good guess," Phantom unwrapped the arm to show a scaly piece of decayed flesh with several charms sown into it. "Have you ever heard of a Ghost ÄRM?"

**---**

**MY 15****th**** BIRTHDAY GIFT TO YOU: AN UPDATE! HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING!**


	24. Chapter 23 FINAL CHAPTER

Emily and David burst into the flaming ballroom with deadpanned looks. They knew Nick was in the area.

"Where are you!" Emily yelled. David sighed.

"Maybe he's near the roof." The boy suggested. Emily gave him a dumb look.

"He is not! Nick would be fighting in the middle of a near-destroyed room for dramatic effect." She flicked David in the forehead. "Haven't I taught you anything about drama on the battlefield?"

David sighed. "Honestly, you and your drama will get us killed one day." **(Insert Author's maniacal laugh of foreshadowing here)**

Kira kicked the door at the side of the room down and ran down to the other side. Emily and David perked up and immediately ran after them. Catherine was riding on Samantha's back, yelling at the two girls to hurry up. Kira angrily bust down another do and rammed her shield into the two Pawns guarding the door. They slammed into the sides of the mosaic-lined corridor and the girls continued their marathon down the stone paved hall.

---

Nick stared as three guardians appeared in front of him and Robert. Phantom rubbed his arm lovingly and smiled.

"My arm is it's own weapon," Phantom chuckled. "The only way to defeat me now… is to chop my arm off."

Nick's eye twitched and he gave a psychotic grin. Robert gazed up at the three guardians. They were tall and under the shadows of the corridor they looked even more menacing that they really were. **(I tried to find pictures but google has finally failed me so I'm sticking with ambiguity!)**

"Rob?" Nick looked to his friend. "You wanna roshambo for Phantom?" His friend gave him a disbelieving look before flipping him off.

"Screw you! How am I gonna chop off an arm with this?" Robert raised the staff with a deadpanned look. Nick grinned sheepishly and took off through the legs of a guardian. Phantom in surprise barely summoned a shield in time to guard against the flying kick. Nick anticipated the shield and shoved his sword into the surface, digging it in, he flipped over the blue wall and flipped around to ram his feet into Phantom's own shield. The momentum shot Phantom through it and the guardians were caught off guard. Robert jumped onto one of the guardian's kneecaps and flew up to it's head before shoving the end of it into it's eye and activating the Tentacle Rod, the knives exploded into the guardian's eyes and it reeled back in pain, the other two staggered towards Robert, striking wildly at the brown-haired nuisance, Robert jumped from the arms as he dug his staff into one of them and extended the staff's end into the other guardian. He activated the Tentacle Rod and the guardian fell forward, smashing the other guardian's feet and giving Rob the opportunity to smash his metal staff into it's face, the impact sent the giant guardian into the wall, destroying the staircase. Robert gave a disbelieving look and   
Nick's jaw dropped.

"Okay, I call dibs on the staff next fight." Robert stuck his tongue out and pointed to Phantom, who was starting to get up. Nick prepared to stab through the man before he disappeared in a flash of green light. Nick stared for a second with his bottom lip thrust out. He smacked his lips and rubbed the whiskers on his chin as he struggled to find the words that would best fit the situation. Robert knew what was coming and ran down the other end of the corridor to the only door in sight. Nick turned around and saw Rob running, only Rob's image was strangely glazed over with the image of Phantom, his eyes dialated and he charged after Rob in a blind fury.

Robert started sobbing as he kicked the door open and ran past a pink-haired woman in a cage next to a throne and into the next room. Nick followed with a sword in his hands. Diana, who was the woman in the cage, rolled her eyes and whistled at Nick.

"Eh?" Nick turned around and saw Diana motioning to him. Nick sliced the bars open and gave Diana a big hug.

"Thank god you're all right!" Nick grinned. "I was really scared and I thought that Phantom may have killed you."

Diana smiled and kissed him on the forehead. "It's fine," She looked to the side and saw Bishops and Knights starting to appear in the ruined corridor. Robert gave a wide-eyed look as he looked over the side to see Kira, Samantha, and Catherine surrounded by more Chess Pieces.

"Not good, not good!" Robert yelled. Nick sighed and rushed towards the window Rob was looking at, he durst through the glass and divebombed towards the floor. Robert's jaw dropped and Diana gave a disbelieving look as he plummeed.

"He seems to get braver every minute." Diana chuckled. Rob was still in so much shock he couldn't talk.

---

Emily and David were in fighting stances as they sat in the middle of the crowd with the girls. Emily sighed and looked to the other girls.

"You need to get out of here, my ÄRM will kill all you guys unless you're out of the range," Emily pointed to a wall. "If you're over there, you should be fine."

Samantha looked up and scoffed. "You may not have to use that ÄRM," She moved to the side and Nick touched down right next to them. He took one step and literally was in front of a Bishop, he slammed him into the ground and moved to the next victim. Robert and Diana touched down and started move farther towards the wall while everyone was watching the fight.

After many bumps and bruises, Nick and Robert slammed their weapons into the last Knight and he went flying into the wall. The red-head smiled woozily and rubbed the bruise on his head before falling over. Robert poked Nick with his staff before surmising that Nick had passed out from being in the way of his victims when they were flying.

"Too bad your saviors near death," A voice came from above them. They all looked up to see one man with a dark mask; he had a scythe in one hand and one ÄRM in his other. Samantha charged him with her trident but was easily dispatched with a bonk to the head.

"EVERYONE GET BACK!" Emily yelled. She raised her hand and magical energy flowed to her. David shot off while the others charged the knight, Kira was kicked in the head before flying to the floor next to Nick, Robert flew into the wall with a slice from the scythe and rolled back to Emily, and Catherine got the wooden end of the staff and landed at Emily's feet.

'_Shit, I can't use it here when all these people are around.'_ Emily looked over to the unconscious bodies as the knight slowly landed next to Emily. Nick groaned as he looked up to see his friends all on the ground.

"Kira?" He reached his hand out for the girl.

"N-Nicky…" She lifted her own and reached for him.

"I love you…"

"DARKNESS ÄRM: SEALING!" Emily screamed as the scythe rose over her head, a long bright light surrounded the area and Kira slowly evaporated into thin air. Nick's eyes grew wide as Emily got on her knees in anguish and stared at the new rings on her hands. Nick's heart beat faster… faster… he heard his heartbeat go into his throat and ring in his ears, he felt the pang of loneliness enter his heart and stain his soul with the very blackness he had his soul ripped out to end. He slowly grasped the fatal truth: his friends were just killed before his very eyes…

And he did nothing but stare.

---

Nick passed out and was left behind at the end of the battle, never seen or heard from. He was presumed dead and was presumed dead until the beginning of the First War Games. Emily was taken by David, as well as the rings that sealed his friends… Nick woke up that day, welcomed by Diana's smile… when he was told that his allies kill his friends, something in him suddenly snapped. His mask returned, and he continued to hide his face from the shame that he was fated to be nothing but a shell of emotion, haunted by the images of what he could have done and what he should have done. He searched the castle one last time… to find a small ring that someone had left behind. He looked on it's band and it read: Catherine. He realized what the ring was and kept it to himself… it was his small victory against the Cross Guard… he had won it from luck, but now he had a clue to what happened to his friends.

---

Winny walked down the dirty dirt path with Nick. His mask covered his face again and his red hair barely came out of his hood.

"Nick-san? Where are we going?" Winny asked. She had been Nick's partner for a while now, and as much as she hated her younger superior, she had to admit that he did look cool when he never said anything… ever.

"I found a clue…" Nick mumbled to himself. He looked up a little and through his mask he clearly saw a pub sign in the distance. The now sixteen year old smiled to himself and walked into the pub. As he walked in and saw the disdainful faces of the locals, he reminded himself of his mission: The mission given to him by the Elder of Kaldea.

"_Nick, if you want to stop Phantom, then I will not stop you. I will help you with your quest…" The elder spoke slowly. "Think of it as your little 'service' to your foster home."_

He asked a question and the bargoers disregarded him. He walked forward and Robert's Dream Staff materialized in his hand. The only other thing that he could salvage from the battle field.

"I'll ask again…" Nick said calmly. "Has anyone heard where I can find someone named Emily?" The bargoers groaned and cursed at him.

---

Nick walked out of the pub with his blue robe and his hand stained with blood. Winny stared at the black mask and realized how it denied any presence of humanity from coming through it.

"I wish you wouldn't be so violent," Winny sighed.

**---**

**YAY! I decided to wrap it up tonight (11:30 PM on a Thursday) simply because I didn't want to get into a whole thing with the knight with the scythe. I also left his time in the Chess Pieces more of a mystery because again… I didn't want to get into a whole thing.**

**I'm very happy that I can start on the final chapter of the series now, because that's really where all the magic comes in, I'm pretty sure it will be a really long story, and considering I've spent about a little less than a half a year now, it actually kind of surprises me I've been able to do a whole series so far in half a year.**

**I'm also very glad the sequal is coming up because NO MORE PLOTHOLES TO FILL IN! I swear I have to start brainstorming before I write.**

**If you want to be informed when the sequal comes out, either Author Alert me or send me a review with an email or something and I'll keep you posted!**


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